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Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics - Politics (356) - Nairaland

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OPC - Faseun & Adams Unite For Security Of Yoruba Commonwealth / SEUN - Re: Yoruba-commonwealth-politics / Goodluck Jonathan Returns From Commonwealth Assignment (photo) (2) (3) (4)

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Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by tpiadotcom: 6:54am On Nov 30, 2015
why did you remove your gif referencing homeland security?
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Ibebe: 6:59am On Nov 30, 2015
[size=18pt]O.Funmilayo Makarah
[/size]


O.Funmilayo Makarah is a writer and director of films and videos that explore cultural identity, as well as an educator. She came to Los Angeles in 1974 and entered the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. After spending a decade in Europe, she returned to the MFA program in the late-1980s. She later founded In VISIBLE COLORS, a network of film and video makers.

In 1988, Makarah wrote and directed the short video DEFINE, a piece which examines ethnic female identity. She later made The Joke Series (1994), which was shown at the School of Art Institute in Chicago, and Creating a Different Image: Portrait of Alile Sharon Larkin (1989), a short that affirms Larkin’s identity as an artist. She also made a video installation on the Rodney King incident for the California African American Museum in Los Angeles.

Makarah has contributed scholarly works on race, representation and media to various publications, such as Black Women Film & Video Artists (Routledge, 1998) and Afterimage. She has also served as director and founder of the Heritage Film Festival in Prince George’s County, Maryland, as well as Chair of the Media Committee for the Cultural Affairs Dept. of the City of Los Angeles. Makarah is also a founding member of L.A. Freewaves, a worldwide media arts organization.

Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Ibebe: 7:00am On Nov 30, 2015
tpiadotcom:
why did you remove your gif referencing homeland security?

*ignore her please
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by OPCNAIRALAND: 7:00am On Nov 30, 2015
Ibebe,
Dr Olopade's cv is tight! Oh my God!! Thats a bookie! grin
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Nobody: 7:01am On Nov 30, 2015
OPCNAIRALAND:


Thank you. I must say though that im going to be a thorn underfoot and will be despised by some people here when i get down to the nitty gritty and open eyes to the truth about some issues that are dear to a lot of people.

Haha! grin E ni suuru ooo.Abeg take am easy.Na small remain this place for turn battle ground some weeks back lol.I couldn't even handle it.I had to log out grin.Most of characters who came here to fight us have stopped contributing to the thread
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Ibebe: 7:02am On Nov 30, 2015
www.nairaland.com/attachments/3133608_screenshot20151130at12_01_14am_png8d4b8e3299a716f5456f5741ca242576

[size=28pt]Funmilayo Brown[/size]

Chief Advancement Officer


Upon earning her BA from Oberlin University in 1997, Funmilayo began her career in development at New York Presbyterian Hospital in the annual fund and then in major gifts. Through this experience she was able to develop a deep understanding of fundraising best practices. After five years in the role, Funmilayo pursued her MPA in Financial Management at NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service. After graduating in 2004, she returned to New York Presbyterian as an Operations and Financial Analyst. In this role, Funmilayo worked across departments to align funding streams with operational needs.

Wanting to deepen her financial acumen, Funmilayo transitioned to the private sector and joined JPMorgan as a VP, Financial Investment Advisor. At JPMorgan, she advised a portfolio of clients helping them to increase their wealth while minimizing their market risk. At the same time, Funmilayo taught financial literacy at a variety of community organizations. In 2009, she left JPMorgan and pursued this consulting work exclusively.

In 2011, Funmilayo joined Choices in Childbirth (CiC) as its Executive Director, returning to her passion of serving women and children. As ED, she scaled the organization's startup budget by 40%, established an individual giving program, and re-shaped programming, positioning the organization better to receive grants. Funmilayo also worked with the founder and board of directors to help the organization systematize its operations. In 2012, she transitioned to Carter Burden Center for the Aging (CBCA) as its Director of Development. Funmilayoworked to establish a strategic fundraising plan that has enabled CBCA to scale its budget from $4M to $7M in three years.
Funmilayo has a deep passion for SHOFCO’s mission and focus on gender equality and firmly believes in empowering women to achieve broader societal change.

Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by OPCNAIRALAND: 7:02am On Nov 30, 2015
tpiadotcom:
why did you remove your gif referencing homeland security?
Are you talking to me? If that was meant for me i believe i had a badge and a signature. Nothing else!
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Ibebe: 7:03am On Nov 30, 2015
OPCNAIRALAND:

Are you talking to me? If that was meant for me i believe i had a badge and a signature. Nothing else!

Ignore her abeg.
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Ilaje44(m): 7:03am On Nov 30, 2015
mignone:

ndao.a fi owo ra Faranse ni, Osun ni ile o

Ehen-en, o dara baun naa. Afoworede omo Afoworola. Se o seese fun o lati tu asiri ilu re l'Osun fun daddy bayii?

Comment appelle tu?
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Ibebe: 7:04am On Nov 30, 2015
OPCNAIRALAND:
Ibebe,
Dr Olopade's cv is tight! Oh my God!! Thats a bookie! grin

She's my Ekiti queen cool grin smiley
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by tpiadotcom: 7:04am On Nov 30, 2015
Aareonakakanfo:


Haha! grin E ni suuru ooo.Abeg take am easy.Na small remain this place for turn battle ground some weeks back lol.I couldn't even handle it.I had to log out grin.Most of characters who came here to fight us have stooped contributing to the thread

you posted a gif referencing homeland security and then removed it when you were sure I had seen what you posted.
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by tpiadotcom: 7:05am On Nov 30, 2015
shymex had posted Dr Olopade earlier on the thread, why are you posting her info twice?
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Ibebe: 7:05am On Nov 30, 2015
Ilaje44:


Ehen-en, o dara baun naa. Afoworede omo Afoworola. Se o seese fun o lati tu asiri ilu re l'Osun fun daddy bayii?

Comment appelle tu?

Bonjour!

Parlez-vous français?
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by tpiadotcom: 7:07am On Nov 30, 2015
OPCNAIRALAND:

Are you talking to me? If that was meant for me i believe i had a badge and a signature. Nothing else!

the op.

he removed the reference and posted something else instead.

he saw me looking at it, he checks who is viewing.
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Nobody: 7:07am On Nov 30, 2015
[size=17pt]Chief Kessington Adebukunola Adebutu[/size]



The name Premier Lotto might not immediately ring a bell to the ears of the average Nigerian but the name 'Baba Ijebu' does.
Chief Kessington Adebukunola Adebutu, popularly known and referred to as “BABA IJEBU”, is a renowned industrialist, an astute businessman and a philanthropist to the core.

He is the brain behind the “Premier Lotto Limited” (PLL) also known as “Baba Ijebu”, a Gaming Company which was incorporated in 2001. The foundation was established to carry out the Lotto business in Nigeria, while his Foundation “Kessington Adebukola Adebutu Foundation”, caters for the less privileged and also supports hospital patients and their education. His principle that an educated and healthy soul can never be hungry was the drive behind the establishment of the foundation.

Chief Kessington was born in the Defunct Western Region of Nigeria on October 24, 1935. He began his Primary school education in the late 1930s which he completed in 1942; and then proceeded for his secondary School education which he completed in 1955.

Shortly after he completed his secondary school education, he was employed at the Classic Chemical Limited, a pharmaceutical company that produces Andrew's Liver Salt, Cafenol and amongst other drugs. He rose from the position of a Salesman to the position of a Sales Manager until he left the company in 1963 for his own establishment “Premier lotto”, a business that brought him to limelight.

Chief Kessington partnered with his friend, Chief Solomon Adebayo Ayoku, and worked with him to make the business a great success; with the huge proceeds realised from the pooling business, they diversified into other businesses like agriculture, manufacturing, estate management, entertainment and so on.

Today, the betting game which started with little amount of money has grown fully into a multi-million naira betting business which has helped in transforming the lives of so many, and putting food on the tables of the poor and needy in the society.

The company, today, is being run by a team of seasoned individuals who have well over 40 years of experience in the gaming industry and they have successfully used their wealth of knowledge and experience to develop, sustain and strengthen the business; thus giving rise to one of the biggest lotto businesses practiced in West Africa today.

The philanthropic gestures of Sir Kessington Adebukunola Adebutu to educational institutions are legendary and there for all to see. One can describe him as a believer, a supporter, a cheerleader, a friend, a loyalist and a cheerful giver who is committed to empowerment and giving back to the society

Apart from donating buildings and equipment, particularly to educational institutions in Nigeria, the Kessington Adebukunola Adebutu Foundation (KAAF) has also played a significant role in empowering youths round the country. It is important to also point out here (because it is already on record) that in his generosity and vision to immortalise his name, Sir Kesington Adebutu heartily donated a state-of-the-art library to the young Crescent University, Abeokuta in 2009; He donated a N50 million e-library to the Baptist Academy, Obanikoro, Lagos State, and has contributed immensely to the promotion of culture across the country.

As a true philanthropist, Sir Kessington Adebutu does not discriminate in his charitable deeds. He is kind-hearted, socially responsible and he uses his wealth for human capital development

His generosity and philanthropy earned him his first ever chieftaincy title "Babalaje of Lagos", and his subsequent conferment as the “Asoju Oba of Lagos”.

In October 2015, Chief Kessington Adebutu was decorated with a honorary title "Doctor of Business Administration" by the Olabisi Onabanjo Uiniversity (OOU), for his invaluable contribution to the nation’s economy.
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by OPCNAIRALAND: 7:08am On Nov 30, 2015
Aareonakakanfo:


Haha! grin E ni suuru ooo.Abeg take am easy.Na small remain this place for turn battle ground some weeks back lol.I couldn't even handle it.I had to log out grin.Most of characters who came here to fight us have stooped contributing to the thread

People were fighting? Were these Yorubas or other people that wish bad on Yorubas?

On speaking truth, I believe Yoruba nation need some self-reflection and admonition on things we are not doing correctly and could end in tragedy if not quickly rectified. There are many key points we need to address immediately.
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Ibebe: 7:11am On Nov 30, 2015
www.nairaland.com/attachments/3133626_logo_png1bb87d41d15fe27b500a4bfcde01bb0e


CEO: Oluwatoyin Sanni


Prior to her appointment as the Group CEO, Toyin Sanni was CEO, United Capital Trustees Limited – a subsidiary of United Capital Capital Plc and a market leader in the Trustees business.

A Lawyer, Chartered Secretary and Stockbroker with over twenty-five years’ experience in Investor Services, Law and Finance, Toyin holds a Masters Degree, LLM (Hons), from the University of Lagos as well as the Professional qualifications of the I.C.S.A. UK, and the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (C.I.S.) Nigeria. She was a Council Member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators Nigeria, a Fellow and Vice President of the Association of Pension Funds of Nigeria (APFN), an Associate of the Institute of Directors Nigeria and President of the Association of Corporate Trustees Nigeria. Toyin has served on various committees and boards including the National Bond Steering Committee, the West African Capital Markets Integration Technical Committee and as Chairperson of the Custody Sub-Committee of the Capital Market.

Prior to joining the United Capital Group, she had set up and run successful Trustee, Asset Management and Leasing businesses. Toyin is a frequent speaker at various Seminars and Workshops, including International Investor Services events and conferences, Howard University Africa Business Conference Washington DC, the Global Custody Conference and the Network Managers Conference, and has served as a part-time lecturer of Business Law and Pensions Trusteeship at the University of Lagos / APFN Post-graduate program. Toyin has also participated in several training programs and seminars held in various countries by the Euromoney group, the New York Institute of Finance and the Robert Kennedy College, Switzerland.

Toyin has played leading roles in landmark deals such as the multi-trillion naira AMCON Bond Issues, the Lagos State Bond Programmes, the LaFarge WAPCO, UPDC and Flour Mills Debt Issues amongst many others. In 2007, Toyin led the establishment of UBA Global Investor services the Custody arm of the UBA Group, which rapidly became a leading Nigerian Custodian and secured the mandates of major Global Custodians amongst others. She also held the position of Chairman of the Nigerian Capital Market Annual Retreat Committee for 2012 and 2013.


1 Like

Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Nobody: 7:11am On Nov 30, 2015
OPCNAIRALAND:


People were fighting? Were these Yorubas or other people that wish bad on Yorubas?

On speaking truth, I believe Yoruba nation need some self-reflection and admonition on things we are not doing correctly and could end in tragedy if not quickly rectified. There are many key points we need to address immediately.

They were all Yorubas.Some weren't comfortable with our approach to the whole PDP/APC issue but everything don dey alright sha
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Nobody: 7:15am On Nov 30, 2015
Speaking of the Nigerian Gambling industry,I know Akin Alabi is also the owner of Nairabet.Its Nigeria's first online sports betting portal and probably the most popular.Adebutu has no rival in the lotto business grin
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by OPCNAIRALAND: 7:17am On Nov 30, 2015
Ibebe:


She's my Ekiti queen cool grin smiley

Ohh, Ekiti, now I see why got all these academic laurels left right and center. Ekiti kete, mo ki gbogbo yeye mi o!
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by modath(f): 7:19am On Nov 30, 2015
Aareonakakanfo:


Like I said, there's a strategic ploy to kill off this thread.How can 7 people get banned within the same period I skimmed through all my CabbieAC posts and I was looking for an offensive comment,I couldn't find.Interloper got banned same with Drmoffy,Shymm3x,CabbieAC and you as well.Make I no talk

Speaking of the games,when I'm ready, I'll tell you


The thing tire me oooo, been on NL for years & years, never got spam botted till i made it my biz to reverse harass the enemies of Nigeria Peace & Progress..

Unity is not compulsory, Peace & progress on the other hand is non.negotiable...


Ibebe sis mi owon, ayam fine.. awon omo nsere, the in laws trip na december ending, getting ready for the expected iyawo ile chores grin
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Ibebe: 7:25am On Nov 30, 2015
OPCNAIRALAND:


Ohh, Ekiti, now I see why got all these academic laurels left right and center. Ekiti kete, mo ki gbogbo yeye mi o!

lol Okun o...wish my CV is as tight as hers sha tongue grin


modath:

Ibebe sis mi owon, ayam fine.. awon omo nsere, the in laws trip na december ending, getting ready for the expected iyawo ile chores grin

That's one thing I hate about visiting Nigeria; chores.

Get ready to get annoyed at people lol.
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by OPCNAIRALAND: 7:25am On Nov 30, 2015
Aareonakakanfo:


They were all Yorubas.Some weren't comfortable with our approach to the whole PDP/APC issue but everything don dey alright sha

I see. Yeah, Yoruba is a political animal, tell him an Alfa is standing by to convert his grandmother to Islam and he will just say "ok", but let him get wink of political opposition coming on approach to his neighborhood, he brings out gun ready to die. May God deliver us.
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Ibebe: 7:30am On Nov 30, 2015
[size=18pt]THESE ARE THE YOUNG AFRICAN SCIENTISTS AND TECHNOLOGISTS THE WORLD NEEDS TO WATCH OUT FOR ACCORDING TO THE NEXT EINSTEIN FORUM (NEF)[/size]


Hallowed Olaoluwa



Hallowed Olaoluwa Nigerian with a background in Mathematical Physics. He is the first and only student to pursue concurrent mathematics and physics degrees at bachelors and masters level in the Central African Republic (CAR). For his Einstein Challenge, he hopes to provide more answers to questions in quantum ergodicity and quantum chaos, which can inform wider concepts of differentiation, medical imaging and robotics and interception.




Tolu Oni



Tolu Oni is also from Nigeria, with a background in Public Health/Epidemiology and Urban Health. She is currently working on the co-existence and interaction between chronic infectious and non-infectious diseases, and the impact of the physical and socioeconomic environment on the health profile of populations living in unplanned urban settings. For her Einstein Challenge, she will set up a platform – RICHE (Research Initiative for Cities Health and Equity (RICHE), an interdisciplinary research programme for urban health research in Africa to address urban health inequity and to identify creative strategies to address complex population health and broader societal challenges through a coordinated and inter-sectoral partnership between academia, civil society and government.

Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by tpiadotcom: 7:32am On Nov 30, 2015
Aareonakakanfo:


They were all Yorubas.Some weren't comfortable with our approach to the whole PDP/APC issue but everything don dey alright sha

you were and are the aggressor.
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Ibebe: 7:35am On Nov 30, 2015
[size=28pt]AT THIS NIGERIAN SCHOOL, ALL THEY DO IS BUILD ROBOTS
[/size]



As an undergraduate, in 2011, Olaoluwa Balogun established the ACI Computer Education, an Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) based, non-profit organization that provides technology education for young Nigerians. Now an alumnus of OAU, Balogun launched Project 10,000 Kids a few months ago, with the aim to teach Nigerian schoolchildren to build robots.

With the ACI, Mr. Balogun hopes to push transformation within the Nigerian education sector by empowering young people to build useful technology, moulding them into tech enthusiasts and sound computer programmers in a few short years. Cramming or memorizing academic material and passing exams is the norm in the country’s education system today and it is not good enough as innovators and problem-solvers are rarely ever birthed that way.

The intention of the ACI is to champion the beginning of a shift in the way the country approaches teaching and education. “We want to expose our young students to real-world engineering challenges through hands-on, LEGO-based robotics projects. We want Nigerian kids to begin to think creatively and innovate like their international counterparts.”



Nigeria’s future robotics engineers
Credit – ACI Computer Education



An estimated 10 million of 30 million primary school-aged children in Nigeria are out of school. Less than one-third of the percentage of primary school students will attend junior secondary school and only a few will proceed to senior secondary school.

In an interview with Innovation Village, Balogun said the major criterion for a great future for the country is sound education for its young people, as over 60 percent of the estimated 170 million Nigerians are under the age of 30. For this reason, he sees Nigeria’s huge youthful population as a fantastic opportunity to impact the nation positively and start the change he so desperately wants to see in the Nigerian education sector. Thanks to ACI’s FirstStep BootCamp, over 2,000 undergraduates at OAU and the University of Ibadan have been trained in robotics, software development, graphics and animation in the last few years.

The Project 10,000 Kids initiative is more about promoting computational thinking than it is about equipping the next generation to work as robotics engineers. “Computational thinking combines mathematics, logic and algorithms and teaches children a new way to think about the world; it is how software engineers solve problems.”




Robot built by students using a LEGO set
Credit – ACI Facebook


To ensure continuity, ACI has begun a robotics club in different schools and will encourage friendly competitions among them on a termly basis and the first of these would be next month.

Project 10,000 Kids has a target to reach at least 50 students in about 200 secondary schools across Nigeria. The organization will also train 100 children at two orphanages in Lagos and 50 children at the Kids and Teens Resource Centre, Akure. Also, about 80 girls at the Women’s Technology Empowerment Center (W-TEC) will be beneficiaries of this training.




A demonstration with secondary school students and an ACI instructor
Credit – ACI Facebook



[size=2pt].[/size]

2 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Nobody: 7:36am On Nov 30, 2015
Ibebe/OPCNairaland, I have to score Osun state a 10/10 in terms of Open Governance.Its the only South-west state that has delivered.I was just trying to get some information on our states websites and I couldn't find any info on what's happening except on Osun state's website.Their website is consistently being updated.We know everything happening.That to me is laudable.We have no idea what Ajimobi,Mimiko,Amosun,or Fayose are doing.Lagos news is all over the place.Meanwhile Fayose is busy cutting ponmo.Ibebe I piree you and your people grin cheesy
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Nobody: 7:39am On Nov 30, 2015
Ibebe:
[size=28pt]AT THIS NIGERIAN SCHOOL, ALL THEY DO IS BUILD ROBOTS
[/size]







Nigeria’s future robotics engineers
Credit – ACI Computer Education








Robot built by students using a LEGO set
Credit – ACI Facebook







A demonstration with secondary school students and an ACI instructor
Credit – ACI Facebook



[size=2pt].[/size]

Wow!

Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Ibebe: 7:41am On Nov 30, 2015
^^^ lol yea right!

I'm impressed.

Aareonakakanfo:
Ibebe/OPCNairaland, I have to score Osun state a 10/10 in terms of Open Governance.Its the only South-west state that has delivered.I was just trying to get some information on our states websites and I couldn't find any info on what's happening except on Osun state's website.Their website is consistently being updated.We know everything happening.That to me is laudable.We have no idea what Ajimobi,Mimiko,Amosun,or Fayose are doing.Lagos news is all over the place.Meanwhile Fayose is busy cutting ponmo.Ibebe I piree you and your people grin cheesy

It would make sense because Osun is the most criticized SW government. People criticize when you feed them information.

It is laudable. Transparent government reflects the true nature of democracy.

However, there's still room for improvement: budget analysis, expenditure analysis, how much was spent on what ... etc.
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Nobody: 7:44am On Nov 30, 2015
Ibebe you know that robot news is the most impressive thing I've heard this week? Bbriliant!.That kind of idea can only come from an OAU Graduate.Those guys are gggoood.Have you heard about "Humane"?
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Nobody: 7:46am On Nov 30, 2015
Ibebe:
^^^ lol yea right!

I'm impressed.



It would make sense because Osun is the most criticized SW government. People criticize when you feed them information.

It is laudable. Transparent government reflects the true nature of democracy.

However, there's still room for improvement: budget analysis, expenditure analysis, how much was spent on what ... etc.


True talk! That's one of the downsides of Open governance.I just hope he settles the salary thing.

That's the only issue I have with him
Re: Yoruba Commonwealth and Politics by Ibebe: 7:52am On Nov 30, 2015
Wow these guys are trying o. Aareonakakanfo, e be like say we needa join the competition. I previously talked about them and sofrey sofrey, they're getting on a higher level.


[size=28pt]Nigerian printing startup Printivo attracts blue chip clients as demand grows
[/size]


BY TOM JACKSON ON NOVEMBER 30, 2015


Nigerian digital printing startup Printivo is already working with blue chip firms such as Google, Samsung, Stanbic IBTC, Honda and Uber as it prepares to scale faster in the wake of raising a six-figure funding round.

Launched last year, Printivo aims to help Nigerian startups and SMEs print business and marketing materials with ease. The site has around 50 products – ranging from business cards to mugs and bags – with thousands of templates.

Users are able to select their product and template, upload images and input their information, pay online, and have the final product delivered straight to their doorstep. It is this simple and convenient process that co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) Olu’yomi Ojo hopes will help to grow Nigeria’s US$200 million print market, which until now lacked a credible online presence.

“Lagos has the toughest traffic in the whole of Africa. You can spend three hours to go to a place that should take you 30 minutes,” Ojo told Disrupt Africa.

“So imagine you want to print business cards, and go through all that. This goes for every printing product. It gets very difficult for small scale businesses to get access to printing.”

He said Nigeria is known as the land of the middlemen, an image that is perpetuated by the country’s print industry.

“Someone would have to go about getting a print job done by going face-to-face to a middleman, who takes a cut each time, making the prices high. Deadlines are missed, quality is questionable,” Ojo said.

“Nigeria’s print industry has had little to no investment until now. Much like Vistaprint and Moo.com have done in the west, Printivo is automating design and print for small businesses.”

Small businesses are central to Printivo’s strategy, with Ojo saying the startup is at the heart of Nigeria’s SME community, providing quality design, top customer service and transparent pricing, things he says are “totally revolutionary” for the country’s printing industry.

Yet of the more than 4,000 companies that use Printivo for their printing needs, it is the blue chip companies like Samsung and Google that stand out. And it is the interest of established firms like these, as well as a growing number of orders from countries in which the startup is not even active yet, that have convinced both Ojo and investors that the time has come for expansion.

Disrupt Africa reported last month Printivo had closed a six-figure funding round from early-stage technology venture capital firm EchoVC Partners, which it plans to use to expand its product range, grow its staff, accelerate customer acquisition and scale the business.

“The lightning speed at which Printivo has changed Nigerian SMEs’ print purchasing habits and built a customer base that runs into the thousands is impressive, and was a key driver in our decision to invest,” Wale Ayeni, investment director at EchoVC Pan-Africa Fund, said when the investment was announced.

“EchoVC sees print in Africa as one of the continent’s ‘iceberg micro-economies’, a below-radar but very large and viable industry with enormous scope for growth. The team’s homegrown expertise and innate understanding of the market, their commitment to great design and innovation in print, their ability to grow long lasting customer relationships and their focus on customer service equates to them being best placed to lead the digital printing revolution on the continent.”

Ojo said the investment would allow Printivo to scale faster. It already has revenues growing at 50 per cent quarter-over-quarter, and is on track to fulfilling 1,000 orders per month. Active in 36 Nigerian states, it hopes to become the the primary print outsourcing partner to the 17 million active Nigerian SMEs, before eventually becoming the pan-African e-print platform of choice.

Self-funded initially, Printivo relied on social media and, especially, word of mouth in the months after launch in order to acquire customers.

“If a customer comes and he sees the convenience he tells his friends. We started growing significantly that way,” he said.

No such problem now, with substantial funding behind it, but Printivo faces other challenges, primarily in terms of logistics and payments. But Ojo said the startup was confident these would be overcome and it would continue to grow at an impressive rate.

“I sincerely believe the logistics situation is going to improve. A lot of companies are beginning to see the market in shipping across Africa. Over time it will improve,” he said.

He is equally confident that payments are not an issue for the company.

“Even if card payments fail our customers will go to the banking hall to make payments. We see this trend a lot. It shows the high level of trust,” Ojo said.

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