Platform for growing small businesses, entrepreneurs -Director

Mr Nunu Ntshingila, the Regional Director, Africa, Facebook says the organisation has served as a platform to grow small businesses, entrepreneurs and partnerships across the African region.

He made this known in a statement by Idea Engineers, the Public Relations Agency for Facebook in South Africa on Wednesday in Abuja.

Ntshingila was speaking when he attended the launch of a new Facebook office in Johannesburg along with executives Carolyn Everson, VP Global Marketing Solutions and Nicola Mendelsohn, VP EMEA.

Ntshingila said that the facebook team in Africa had grown alongside the number of people and businesses who use it and its ecosystem of developers, entrepreneurs and business partners.

He noted that since 2015, the number of people connected to Facebook across Africa had grown by 42 per cent to over 170 million monthly active users, 94 per cent were on mobile phones.

“Since we first established a direct presence in sub-Saharan Africa in 2015, Facebook has grown from strength to strength.

“We have enjoyed working closely with entrepreneurs, partners, developers and small businesses as they have used Facebook as a platform for growth.

“It’s inspiring for us to learn from the continent and to play a role in helping people and organisations connect with the world.

“The new office will continue to provide support to Facebook advertisers, application developers and other key partners across the continent,’’ Ntshingila said.

Carolyn Everson said: “Facebook is deeply committed to Africa, a mobile-first continent where seven in 10 of all connected people use the platform.

“Many people in Africa are coming online for the first time, unleashing new possibilities for people and businesses alike.

“We’re also seeing growth of small and medium-sized businesses that are driving economic development, companies that Facebook wants to help grow locally and regionally across the continent.

“Our new offices are part of our ongoing commitment to invest in the African market and work with innovators across our key target countries.”

“Facebook has moved its Johannesburg offices into new premises, creating a new home for the company to work with its partners to boost innovation and provide an African home for the Facebook culture.

“The new office will continue to provide support to Facebook advertisers, application developers and other key partners across the continent.’’