AfricaCom 2017: Facebook focuses on connecting Africa

As part of Facebook’s mission to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together, the Facebook connectivity and platform partnerships team will be on the ground in Cape Town at AfricaCom 2017 from 7-10 November. Taking part in a number of events, these aim at showcasing how the platform is being used by businesses, start-ups and individuals across the continent to drive the digital economy.

“We are committed to working with people in Africa connect, helping entrepreneurs and developers grow, and to eliminating barriers to connectivity,” says Emeka Afigbo, Head of Platform Partnerships Middle East and Africa. “AfricaCom 2017 is an opportunity to share what we’re doing to serve the 108 million people on the continent who use Facebook each month, as well as how we’re empowering entrepreneurs and startups”.

Announcing a new Express Wi-Fi by Facebook partnership with Tizeti in Nigeria at AfricaCom, this partnership joins Surf in Kenya and Coollink in Nigeria – all aimed at enabling more communities to connect to the internet easily and for an affordable rate.

During AfricaCom 2017, Facebook will also be taking part in the following events and panels:

• 8 November 2017, 09:50 -10:30: Uche Ofodile will participate in a discussion: Affordable Internet access for all: empowering Africa’s connectivity champions to bridge the digital divide.
• 9 November 2017, 10:50-11:10: Emeka Afigbo will deliver a keynote address: Empowering the architects of Africa’s digital future: fueling innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.
• 9 November 2017, 11:30 – 12:00: Emeka Afigbo will take part in a panel: How are large corporate & tech leaders supporting African startups and stimulating the development of Africa’s tech startup ecosystem?

Facebook events in Cape Town during the week include:

• Women in Tech meet- up (7 November) – a gathering of over 50 women in tech from across Cape Town, this meet-up explored the challenges faced by women in this sector in South Africa, and tangible ways to encourage more women into technology.
• Developer Circle meet-up (7 November) – bringing together close to 20 members of the Cape Town Developer Circle for an evening of networking
• Cape Town Partner Workshop (10 November) – an invitation-only full-day workshop hosted by Facebook, designed for Cape Town partners to explore Facebook products, platform partnerships, and the latest from the engineering teams.