Meta has partnered with Nigerian creators to flex in the Metaverse with Meta AR, avatars and NFTs.
The tech giants released a promotional video for the project as it continues in its bid to focus on owning and shifting the Nigerian narrative by telling compelling Nigerian stories that are contemporary and immersive.
Metaverse in Africa
Many African creators are already shaping the continent’s narrative using the Metaverse. Mosope Olaosebikan, the founder of Discovery Museum, Abuja, is using art, tech, and history to provide a unique experience for people through Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality.
Pixel Chefs uses emerging digital tech to create impactful experiences for its local and global clients. Black Rhino VR — a virtual reality production — in Nairobi, is creating bespoke VR and AR solutions and content adaptable and relevant to the African and global market.
Meta recently showcased an exclusive XR exhibition featuring the six finalists from the ‘Future Africa: Telling Stories, Building Worlds programme.
The creators at the event included Malik Afegbua’s ‘Moving Between’, a 360 documentary that presents a virtual heritage experience of the Kofar-Mata dye pit, a cultural and historical site in Kano, Nigeria, by presenting it in a three-dimensional virtual reality model.
Read also: Metaverse will become a $679bn worth industry by 2030 – report
Meta + Nigerian Creators
Meta hosted content creators in Lagos earlier this year at an exclusive dinner to celebrate their impact and creativity while introducing them to the technologies in the Metaverse. The creators included a mix of content and technical creators representing various interests, from Music, Comedy and Augmented Reality Specialists.
““We recognise Nigerian creators as trailblazers that express themselves, inspire others, and build communities and livelihoods, while connecting with their audiences.
Kojo Boakye, Vice-President, Public Policy, Africa, Middle East, and Turkey
The tech giants showcased some of their technologies, including Avatars, Spark AR and digital collectables (NFTs.) These creators spent the day co-creating and building ideas that would bring them closer to their diverse communities.
Some of the Nigerian creators at the dinner include Mark Angel Comedy, a comedian and content creator, Josh2funny; a musician and comedian famous for making covers of popular songs, Ayomidate, an actor, content creator and comedian, who is known well-known for his Instagram skits,
Miss Techy, a female digital creator, popularly known for her captivating VFX videos on Instagram; Frank Itom, a storyteller and creator popular for his video editing illusions infused into entertaining content; and Tolu Bally, an award-winning fashion entrepreneur and celebrity stylist
Also in attendance were an award-winning singer and songwriter, Tenientertainer; one of the leading female singers signed to Mavin Records, Ayrastarr; and a famous afrobeat singer and animator, Nissi.
At the event, Kojo Boakye, the company’s vice president of Public Policy, Africa, Middle East and Turkey, disclosed that they are excited to collaborate with Nigerian creators to help bring connected metaverse experience to their audiences.
He said: “We are excited to bring these talented creators together to celebrate their achievements and work with them to build inclusive products for connected metaverse experiences.”
“We are committed to providing a new and immersive way for people to connect and we are excited about building inclusive products that achieve this in the metaverse.”
What you need to know about the Metaverse
A metaverse is a realistic simulation that can be used for various purposes, from entertainment and social networking to education and business. In the simplest terms, it is a combination of virtual Reality (VR) and mixed Reality (MR) that can be accessed through devices.
While the Metaverse is a much broader concept than just virtual gaming, it’s a combination of virtual Reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), blockchain, web3, cryptocurrencies, social media and much more.
Read also: All you need to know about the Metaverse and 4 ways to take advantage of it.
Virtual Reality (VR)
VR is a 3D and computer-generated virtual environment replicating a natural environment or an imaginary world. It is created by a combination of realistic sounds, images and other sensations through devices like VR headsets/helmets, gloves and body detectors equipped with sense detectors.
Augmented Reality (AR)
AR is a live view of a physical environment with its elements augmented by digital sensory input like sound, graphics, videos or GPS data. In other words, AR exists on top of our physical world by allowing users to see the actual environment through the screens of their phones/ tablets or by using smart glasses and making virtual changes to it on the screen.
Mixed Reality (MR)
MR is sometimes referred to as Hybrid Reality. The merging of the virtual and physical worlds produces a new environment where virtual and physical objects are enabled in real-time.
#FlexNaija
While the vision of the Metaverse feels far away, the flexing of Nigerian top creators in the Metaverse is a reminder that the future of the internet is here, and we cannot wait to see what it holds.
Watch this space to find out the results of what the Nigerian creators came up with after flexing in the Metaverse,
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