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Nigerian media entrepreneur Chude Jideonwo has called for the development of Africa-first technology platforms, arguing that local creators and businesses need digital services that are more responsive to their needs and accountable within the continent.
He made the comments during an appearance on the latest edition of The Coffee Table on Nairametrics TV.
Jideonwo, who chairs HBC Holdings and co-founded Red Africa, said global platforms such as YouTube and Instagram leave African users with limited options when their accounts are suspended or removed.
Jideonwo calls for Africa-first platforms
Jideonwo said building technology for the media industry is difficult because media professionals and technology developers often approach problems differently. He argued that developing platforms designed around African users could be a more practical starting point.
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- “It’s incredibly difficult to build a media tech that works. Media people don’t think like tech people. We think in stories. I think the easier problem to solve is to have Africa-first tech platforms,” he said.
He explained that global platforms do not always have locally empowered teams capable of resolving disputes involving African users.
- Jideonwo said YouTube could take down a user’s page without its African operations having the authority to restore it.
- He cited Instagram account suspensions, arguing that users often have to seek help outside the continent to recover their accounts.
- He said global platforms establish offices in Africa but continue to extract significant value from the region, using African user numbers to strengthen their global figures.
- He argued that complaints about account removals are often directed to the platforms’ headquarters rather than handled by teams with authority in Africa.
The media entrepreneur said the case for Africa-first platforms is fundamentally commercial, stressing that the continent needs homegrown technology because there is a viable business opportunity to serve local users.
Why African media needs cost discipline
Jideonwo’s argument for locally responsive technology also comes against the background of his views on the economics of African media businesses.
In an earlier interview with Nairametrics, he discussed the financial realities facing media companies and argued that many have struggled because their cost structures do not reflect the economics of the industry.
He said media businesses operate in a low-margin environment compared with several other sectors.
- “Fundamentally, many parts of the media are low margin, at least compared to many other industries,” he said.
He believes media companies should adopt operating models closer to those of fast-moving consumer goods businesses, where profitability depends on volume, efficiency and disciplined spending rather than the high margins associated with industries such as oil and gas.
Nigeria’s Twitter ban offers precedent
Jideonwo also argued that governments can influence how global technology companies operate in their markets through regulation. He cited the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari and its decision to suspend Twitter’s operations in Nigeria as an example of government action.
- “It can be a regulatory issue. Our governments don’t even understand the terrain… because Buhari showed us it was possible. When Twitter took him off, he took Twitter off,” he said.
He recalled that the Federal Government attached conditions to Twitter’s return, including the requirement to establish a local presence.
Jideonwo said similar regulatory action could help create an environment in which African users have clearer channels to challenge decisions made by global platforms.
Nigeria lifted its suspension of Twitter in January 2022 after the company agreed to conditions set by the Federal Government.
The episode remains an example of the government using regulatory measures to influence the operations of a major international technology platform.
