JOS - How Disconnected We Are!
companies who aren’t just focused on their core business values but also extending their values to other companies who are desirous of growth.
I was having a discussion with someone some days ago about how I feel there are gaps that needs to be filled, in the entirety of the ecosystems in Plateau state. We are currently experiencing a lot of growth lately, not only are small companies emerging, we are spanning core industries to the likes of construction, entertainment, agriculture, health and now technology. Young men are beginning to have visions and there is a strong yearning for intellectual capital. To say we are blessed with lots of young men with MBA & PhD from institutions across the world would be an over-emphasis.
On the side of the government we are witnessing few young men & women who are interfacing with the innovation community and learning a lot. To say their advice are been considered by the old men in power is what I can’t juxtapose but to make an attempt in taking the positive out of this scenario is to say the future looks bright given that they have the chance at the helm of affairs. Who said Plateau state is not ripe for a youthful takeover?
Despite all of these noticeable growth, we are still embattled by the anti-growth factors found deep within our culture. What is wrong with a 25 year old becoming a multimillionaire? What is wrong with 35 year old becoming the governor of the state? What is wrong with a 27 year old bagging a PhD? What is wrong with an indigenous company owned by a young man wining a multi-million Naira contract from the state government? While these are normal in other climes it is far-fetched here. We forget often the sky is so wide that it can accommodate everyone. We instead should begin to get a place in the skies than throw debris at each other. For instance there are a lot of untapped opportunities in the agriculture value chain that need our attention, we need disruptors in Mining, health and education. Our farmers are been cheated by middlemen from outside this state who make almost 300% profit on agriculture yields produced in this state, this phenomenon if not stopped would discourage young people from delving into agriculture. So why not consider building an agriculture commodity exchange platform to curb that or build commercial storages or better still connect these farmers to their buyers?
One other drawback in our contemporary Plateau is the lack of opportunities to keep the talents we breed and so we have lost so many assets through capital flight. The entertainment industry has suffered from this and the likes of the Jos Chilling Team is working towards bringing succor to the lost glory of our entertainment scene.
Another missing piece is our lack of connectivity, we are so disconnected that we operate in singleton and this has resulted in our delayed growth as a state. Collaboration among businesses and startups would give us a competitive edge against other businesses operating outside the state. At nHub we are undoing the capital flight problem by creating opportunities to keep tech talents within the states and also attract the best of brains from Lagos and other states to the extent of getting them free accommodation within the Jos with the long run expectation of transforming Jos into the best outsourcing hub in Africa. Connection is been created through collaboration with other industry stakeholders like enjoying some level of financing from Bluewhales Microfinance bank and also having Bluewhales Transport move our techies and talents across the state whenever an event calls for it at no cost. There is a need also to connect with the construction companies like Maysu as well as other companies and startups within the state that are doing great. Collaboration helps startups to grow and companies to extend their reach. For instance there was a time we couldn’t afford our staff monthly salaries and Bluewhales Microfinance Bank came to the rescue by granting us a non-collateralize facility that enabled us offset these liabilities for a long period of time before we picked up.
Some people have blithely dismissed growth in markets like China and India, saying Silicon Valley will always be the hub for tech: that everyone will come to us. Wake up: Because the numbers are showing money and talent is increasingly going elsewhere. — Sarah Lacy
However, our efforts should be focused on connection with other companies or startups either as big brother or as a benefactor. Bluewhales is supporting the innovation movement on the Plateau through its banking and transport organ and I see it a feat worthy of emulation by all companies and startups on the Plateau. We need to be connected to grow into global prominence.
This article was written by the CEO of the first Northern Hub in Nigeria (nHub) David Daser, and has been posted here with the permission of the author.
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