Social media is a big deal in Nigeria which has one of the world’s fastest mobile and internet penetration rates. Several issues that started in Nigeria — as mere conversations on social media — have gone viral to become global trending topics. One of such is the #BringBackOurGirls campaign.
It is therefore not surprising that about three years ago, Nigeria’s tech nerve center and commercial capital city of Lagos became the first African city to host Social Media Week, a global event that is held annually in several cities across the world including New York and Paris, focusing on various issues relating to connectivity and social media. Last year, Johannesburg became the second African city to host the event. Next month, the event returns to Lagos but to a new venue on the island and with new additions.
AFKInsider spoke to N’dada Vaz, the director of communications & programming for this year’s edition of SMW Lagos. This interview sheds more light on how SMW Lagos has evolved over the years, new additions this year — including the debut of SMW Lagos Campus model, new events such as #SMWLagosNITES and #SMWLagosExplore. With the event’s growing popularity, especially in terms of partners, events, masterclasses, physical and virtual participants, Vaz tells AFKInsider why they are confident that they are on the right track to achieving the goal of 50,000 physical attendees by 2017.
AFKInsider: How has SMW Lagos evolved over the years, what has changed this year and what new things are you introducing?
Vaz: In 2013 it was important to bring Social Media Week – and the conversations it was bound to spark – to Africa because we had hoped there was a market here. We got more than we ever bargained for! Not only are Nigerians extremely passionate, active and interested in participating but the world wants to know what Africa is doing in the digital space and SMW Lagos has become the place where they come to find out.
Things have evolved quite a bit over the years. Year one we did what was actually thought of at the time as impossible and frankly, quite crazy – a free event, over the course of five days, with content created by the public that is also free to attend. This was a format unheard of locally but more importantly the caliber of content, professionalism and quality of speakers in year one opened a lot of eyes to what is possible — 2014 was an improvement. We did not have to convince people we were not mad! The community started to get “it”. Our audience numbers nearly doubled and our conference content —events submitted by the community — improved dramatically.
For this year we will have to wait and see. The yearly trip to SMW Lagos is fast becoming a tradition for many, locally and abroad, and that makes me smile. I will say that the buzz this year has been great, but overall I am most proud of our 2015 content. The events we have this year are more nuanced, more fun and at a higher level than ever before.
AFKInsider: What was the reason behind the choice of the new venue and how will it help in achieving the set goals of SMW Lagos?
Vaz: Simply put, Lagos traffic. Having a campus format where all of the “official” venues are in one place cuts down on a lot of headaches for people — not to mention the brand new Landmark Centre on Victoria Island is top notch! Creating the SMW Lagos Campus where people can come and hang out all day will really help grow the community and create a “ground zero” space for people to truly connect.
While we are hosting upwards of 100 events on our campus there are still close to 100 events happening off-campus and around the city. In addition to a handful of compelling “traditional” panel style programs being produced independently off-campus, this year we introduced a new content track called #SMWLagosNITES. We’ve hand-picked a stellar group of restaurants, cultural and music venues to host #SMWLagosNITES which will give attendees a taste of nite life, arts, culture and entertainment Lagos style.
Additionally on Friday the 27th we’ve partnered with ten Lagos tech hubs and start-up incubators to introduce #SMWLagosExplore. Attendees can actually get off campus and visit the offices and workshops of Nigeria’s vibrant and growing tech community.
AFKInsider: Social Media Week is now being held in Johannesburg as well. What steps are being taken to ensure that SMW Lagos remains the best in Africa?
Vaz: Let’s be clear, whether it’s a posh university student in a coffee shop in Victoria Island on her Macbook Pro, an up and coming digital radio DJ from Johannesburg, tech geek out of Nairobi or tomato merchant on the roadside browsing from her mobile – Africans are using and revolutionizing technology. SMW Lagos paved the way in proving that there is an African market, African talent, African audience and homegrown African ability to produce an event of this magnitude. It is only natural that the SMW concept would spread to other African cities. With that said, we are very proud of the SMW JHB Team.
SMW Lagos Executive Director Ngozi Odita, Frankline Ozekhome of TINK Africa, blogger Olori Supergal, a few others from the Nigerian tech and media community and myself had the pleasure of attending in September and it was simply fantastic. I look forward to receiving and reconnecting with the Johannesburg team in Lagos next month!
AFKInsider: Let’s talk about the partnerships this year
Vaz: As always we have some major partnership announcements in the works. Our team is meticulous with details and we’ve learned that in Nigeria, you don’t promise something and not deliver so we are holding tight until all the final details are sorted.
I will confirm that we are very excited that our good friends at BEAT 99.9 FM are back to co-host the popular #SMWLagosMusicDay. Mr. Chris Ubosi, GM Deji Awokoya and the entire BEAT 99.9 FM team have outdone themselves with programming this year! Without giving too much away I will say this, #SMWLagosMusicDay is one for the history books!
Our #SMWTravelAfrica Day is back and shaping up very nicely as well. We received a lot of encouragement from people in the tourism, hospitality, hotel/airline industry that last year’s Travel Day was very valuable so we thought it would be good to have it back for 2015. Many travel enthusiasts, travel bloggers and Diasporans are already using SMW Lagos as a good excuse to finally visit — or revisit — Nigeria, so #SMWTravelAfrica Day is a perfect fit.
Lastly — and brand new — is #SMWLagosFootball Day which is being organized via a partnership with EkoFootball and Ayo Alli, who is both one of our esteemed board members and CEO of online football platform, Gbamm!
AFKInsider: People pay to attend SMW New York. Are there plans to monetize SMW Lagos this year or later on?
Vaz: We strongly believe this growth can only happen if our conference is democratic, open and accessible to all. By sheer attendee numbers alone Social Media Week Lagos is the largest conference on the continent of Africa — and we are only getting started. We have set a goal of 50,000 physical attendees by 2017 and I believe that as long as we keep our thumb on the pulse of the Nigerian upwardly mobile and digital community we are poised to reach it.
With that said, we recognized that there was a demand for a more exclusive, or for lack of better words, ‘luxury’ SMW experience. In 2014 we introduced a paid VIP option that was well received but needed some work in terms of value. This year I believe we got it right with our Executive VIP badge. The Executive VIP badge has additional perks and benefits including reserved seating, open bar cocktail mixers and Executive VIP Masterclasses, breakfast and lunch sessions. The overwhelming majority of Social Media Week Lagos events are still and will remain free and open to the public.