Are you watching the news📰😨??!!
Hello Venturer,
Yesterday, we woke up to the news that Russia had invaded Ukraine. Chances are, you're still following the discussion. And why not? So many of us are wondering if this is the inception of you-know-what. In the unlikely case that you haven't heard about it, I'll be frank with you - it's not looking good, not for any of us anywhere in the globe. I don't know about you, but as for me...
Do you know what's even more interesting? Most of us learnt about this event over social media. You can stay abreast of the entire series of events, not missing any detail without needing to turn on the television. We're leaving that culture to our dads.
Today, people don't stay off their phones; they live in them. Seeing Ukraine post memes and political cartoons amid all this mayhem further proves that the internet and social media have reshaped the way we communicate today. Even further, it has influenced the way we do business.
But the internet is also evolving, and some big corporations like Meta want us to go from living on social media to living in a "metaverse". If that happens, we would have to adapt to newly evolved cultures of communication and even transaction modes. All of this has me wondering how we would have watched an event as critical as the Russia-Ukraine conflict unfold in a metaverse. But we're also hoping to not witness any more wars. So let's talk about something more positive, like your business.
What would your business look like in the metaverse? How would you grow your audience, engage with them and transact with them? Is it even good for your business? Find out in this issue of VA Weekly.
Oluwatosin Ogunjuyigbe
Staff Writer, Ventures Africa
What will your business look like in the metaverse?
Online brand image is a collection of many elements. Today, we use images, websites, videos and social media posts to represent our businesses on the internet. But what will represent your business in the metaverse? Learn more.
The economic impact of the methanol crises and polluted fuel on Nigerians.
If a blockbuster movie were to be made about natural resources, Nigeria’s crude oil would undoubtedly get a lead role. However, it does not appear like the film will end well. Partly because of the controversies surrounding crude’s foremost derivative in the country. Read more.
Should Nigerian banks depend on the CBN for forex?
On Thursday, the 10th of February, several media outlets reported that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) would stop the sale of forex to banks by the end of the year. Whether or not Emefiele was being hypothetical in his statement, that scenario he painted was debate-worthy. Learn more.
Lilian Nakigozi is making women smile in Uganda through her vertical farming solutions.
In Uganda, smallholder farmers champion agricultural productivity, and women constitute 76 per cent of agricultural labour. Hence, women play a vital role in the sector. Logically, a higher number should result in higher output, but this is not the case; women’s productivity is relatively poor compared to men’s. Read more.
My Pivot Journal: How dissatisfaction drove an office assistant into blockchain.
Excel Oliva, 24, is a tech bro; more specifically, a crypto bro. But that wasn’t always the story. Like many young people, he had tried several things – a snail farm, a writing company, and even a podcast – none of which had much success. He is now a web3 research analyst and strategist for several startups. But between these two ends of his story lies his frustrations and desire for a better life. Read more.
54gene awards $64,000 scholarship to further genomics research in Africa.
54gene, the health technology company advancing African genomics research for improved global health outcomes, is awarding $64,000 in scholarships to four PhD candidates in Nigeria, Uganda and South Africa through its non-profit initiative - African Centre for Translational Genetics - launched in February 2020. Learn more.
TradeDepot acquires Accra-based Green Lion to accelerate expansion across Ghana.
Ghana’s retail sector is valued at $24.4 billion and is expected to reach $33.16 billion by 2024, with SME retailers accounting for about 90 percent of the market. TradeDepot already has active operations in Ghana, as well as its operations in Nigeria and South Africa, and its latest acquisition will expedite the delivery of its game-changing services to more cities to enable increased sales, higher margins and other value-added services for all parties across the retail value chain. Read more.
Our Weekly Collectables
If you are having a hard time understanding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, this Twitter thread can help with that.
Imagine if our future turns out to be an apocalyptic one. Where privacy is a crime and ignorance is wisdom? Blind faith paints a picture of a plausible dystopian future.
If you had to remove your appendix to live in your hometown, would you? The icy village where you must remove your appendix reveals the life of people living in Villas Las Estrellas, a settlement in Antarctica.Â
Did you know the metaverse won’t be the first time people would be living in a digital world? The digital ruins of a forgotten future tell the story of a forgotten digital world and the people still living in it.
#VANUGGET
Remember to stay safe
