Nigeria’s Co-creation HUB (CcHUB) have made inroad into the eastern region of Africa. The company launched its outfit in Kigali, Rwanda, a move that intends to foster regional technology ecosystem in the continent.
The technology-oriented centre started its business journey in Yaba, area of Lagos State, but has now expanded into Rwanda to discover the potential within the country through its ‘CcHUB Design Lab’ in Kigali.
Speaking on the launch of the Design Lab, CcHUB’s Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Bosun Tijani said the common challenge African entrepreneurs face for sustainable growth is design and innovation, stating that the CcHUB Design Lab is the solution.
“We’ve been building tech businesses alongside African entrepreneurs for almost a decade and in that time, we’ve identified a common challenge that businesses face when it comes to sustainable growth – Design and Innovation.
“With the CcHUB Design lab, we will be collaborating with organisations that may not have the capacity to design, build and innovate as quick as leaner startups would.
The lab will also build on CcHUB’s extensive global and pan-African network of partners, research institutes and governmental organisations to execute practical design projects that will solve some of our social and business challenges at scale.
“Whilst our work from the lab will focus on the entire continent, we chose Rwanda as the country to operate from because of the ease of doing business in the country.
“Additionally, by collaborating with the Government of Rwanda, whose vision aligns with ours, we hope to find solutions that will enable socio-economic development, productivity and development across Africa.”
Role of the Kigali CcHUB
The expansion to another country is the first in the CcHUB’s eight years existence. According to a report on the company’s blog, the ‘design lab’ is an unprecedented next step in Africa’s growing tech sector, and is set to become a leading creative space where its multidisciplinary team of product designers and engineers will collaborate with scientists and stakeholders globally, to explore the application of emerging technologies that will solve Africa’s systemic problems in Public Health, Education, Governance and the Private Sector.
Rwanda Government reaction
The H.E. Minister of ICT and Innovation, Rwanda, Paula Ingabire said the launch is a landmark in Rwanda’s burgeoning tech community. Adding that the country will continue to build long-lasting strategic partnerships that celebrate excellence.
“CcHUB’s expansion into Kigali, marked with the launch of the Design Lab today, is an exciting landmark for Rwanda’s burgeoning tech community. Rwanda is keen on collaborating with world-class partners to establish ourselves as a leading destination that nurtures innovation-driven enterprises.
“We see technology as an integral gateway and means of developing society – an ethos and mission shared by CcHUB. As we strive to become a knowledge-based economy, we will continue to build long-lasting, strategic partnerships that celebrate excellence, forge ahead with progress and that are, essentially, a force for good that will impact thousands of people across the continent.”
Local partnership
Co-creation Hub has formed partnership with some companies to accelerate the growth of Rwanda across various sectors through the use of technology. The Rwanda Biomedical Centre is the first local company to partner, joining the likes of Go-Ga Lab, Nimcure and Safe Online.
Track record and portfolio
The Nigerian owned tech-oriented company boasts a pre-incubation portfolio of over 60 companies including digital blood bank, Lifebank, recycling venture, WeCyclers and Budgit, a web platform that simplifies the Nigerian budget and public data.
With this new launch in Kigali, CcHUB reiterated its commitment as a solution provider to Nigeria and Africa’s development. CcHUB will deploy the use of a multidisciplinary design team of designers and engineers to contribute to the growth of the health sector, education and governance.
About Co-Creation Hub
Co-creation Hub (CcHUB) is an innovation centre dedicated to accelerating the application of social capital and technology for economic prosperity. CcHUB is Nigeria’s premier living lab designed as a space where work to catalyze creative tech ventures take place. The hub is Nigeria’s first open living lab for technologists, entrepreneurs, tech companies, investors and hackers in and around Lagos. Over the years, CcHUB has provided technological solutions to various sectors of the economy including education, public health and, governance through the various projects the hub is actively engaging in.
