ccHub Honors 24 African Tech Innovators with the Launch of its Nyota Art-Tech Show

On Thursday in Lagos, ccHub celebrated 24 African tech innovation leaders in recognition of their contributions to the continent’s tech ecosystem with Nyota: an art-tech exhibition.

Nyota, which is the Kiswahili word for star, depicts each leader as a star that points to various accomplishments on the continent.

“Every community has its champions. We call ours Nyota – the Kiswahili word for star. Nyota celebrates our champions as guiding stars for the technology and innovation ecosystems in Africa.”

ccHub

Nyota is a fusion of art and tech. The art was digitally illustrated by Mayowa Alabi and can be viewed through an augmented reality app called ‘Artivive’.

The tech innovators recognised are Tomi Davies (TVCLabs), Funke Opeke (Main One Cable), Iyin Aboyeji (An African Future), Mitchell Elegbe (Interswitch).

Also among the innovators are Jason Njoku (CEO of iROKO), Sim Shagaya (Konga), Barbara Birungi (HiveColab), Omar Cisse (InTouch), Emeka Afigbo (Facebook).

The exhaustive Nyota list includes David Kobia (Lab1886), Estelle Akofio Sowah (CSquared), Ehi Binite (ClearSpace Labs Ltd.), Lucy Quist (Morgan Stanley London), and Herman Chinery-Hesse (theSofttribe). Erik Hersman (BRCK), Rebecca Wanjiku (Fireside Communications), Ory Okolloh (Omidyar Networks), Juliana Rotich, Bitange Ndemo(UoN), Dorcas Muthoni (Openworld Ltd.).

The innovators list also includes Gustav Praekelt (Praekelt Group), Strive Masiyiwa (Econet Wireless), Rebecca Enonchong (AppsTech), and Nadu Denloye(Telnet Nigeria Ltd.).

According to CEO of CcHub, Bosun Tijani, Nyota is a celebration of the innovation journey of these African leaders.

“Technology is Africa’s fourth industrial revolution; it is powering and impacting the lives of millions.
Those included have come up from the trenches; they have paved the way for others in a sector still in its relative infancy, albeit one that is making a massive impact on how Africa operates. Nyota is a marker celebrating all that Africa’s technology sector has achieved to date, whilst recognising how much more there is to do.

Thank you to all of those who are part of the exhibition – we are happy to share your story and your success with the world via Nyota, an intersection between art and tech in Africa”.

Bosun Tijani, CEO of ccHub

More than a celebration of what has been done, Nyota is also a poignant reminder of what remains to be done in the tech ecosystem in African. A celebration and a call to more.