Afrigather On Wednesday, Peace Itimi, host of Founders Connect, a YouTube present that particulars the journeys of founders and operators in Nigeria’s tech ecosystem, unveiled a documentary centred across the evolution of the ecosystem during the last 15 years. Titled Innovating Africa: The Rise of Tech in Nigeria, the documentary covers the state of the tech trade 15 years in the past, why the largest tech corporations within the nation had been based, and essentially the most pivotal moments and insurance policies which have outlined tech in Nigeria. The 90-minute-long movie options key gamers akin to OO Nwoye, Kola Aina, Odun Eweniyi, Adia Sowho, Tomi Davies, Jason Njoku, and Iyin Aboyeji.
TechCabal had a chat with Peace Itimi to grasp the considering behind the documentary.
TechCabal: How did you go from Founders Hook up with a documentary?
Peace Itimi: It was only a no-brainer. The thought got here from doing Founders Join. I believe I simply started to really feel like I wanted to do a deeper dive into what the tech ecosystem in Nigeria is. On the time, I used to be additionally considering of how a lot progress it has witnessed within the final 5 years. So, for context, I believe I had the concept in 2021, however began engaged on it in early 2022. I wished to do a deep dive and get perception into what the ecosystem was 15 years in the past.
I don’t suppose there would have been this mission if I hadn’t began Founders Join. It was within the midst of chatting with many founders and listening to them share related tales that I noticed there’s a larger story that might doubtlessly join all the single tales I’ve finished.
What influence would you like this documentary to have? Secondly, when folks hear Peace Itimi, what do you need to come to folks’s minds?
PI: To start with, when folks end watching the documentary, I would like them to go away them feeling nostalgic and impressed.
I additionally need them to go away very curious. That is simply one of many many angles. I don’t suppose that I’ve exhaustively coated all the tales. I believe that is the primary protection of the sort round what the evolution of the Nigerian tech ecosystem appears like. Lots of people know that Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey visited Nigeria, however not lots of people—together with myself—perceive the influence of these occasions. However within the documentary, we hear key gamers speak about how these visits shone a brilliant gentle on the nation.
I would like folks to know that I’m very dedicated to telling our tales. There’s no ulterior motive apart from the truth that who I’m now can also be a mirrored image of the folks I’ve met in communities that I’ve been to.
Was there a variety standards for many who featured within the documentary?
PI: I reached out to much more folks than those that featured within the documentary. After I had the concept, I used to be chatting with a bunch of various folks. Some ended up changing into an integral a part of the mission; a few of them didn’t have the time to be featured.
Two folks had been very crucial in serving to me do analysis: Daniel Iyanda and Adedeji Olowe. So once we had an exhaustive checklist of key moments, occasions, and folks, I in all probability had 60 totally different names and we began reaching out. We had been specific about OGs, mid-OGs, and really early folks.
So how lengthy did it take to shoot the documentary?
PI: I began eager about it in late 2021, however it wasn’t till early 2022 that we began engaged on it. After which we shot in July in Lagos, and London in August. So it took us about two months to do the precise manufacturing.
I couldn’t shoot extra as a result of we had about 24 hours’ value of footage and it was overwhelming to determine tips on how to even edit it. Modifying took nearly your complete 2023. I’ve been engaged on this mission for no less than the final 18 months to 2 years.
Was this mission self-funded?
PI: Sure, it was, 100%.
How essential do you suppose storytelling is to the expansion of this ecosystem?
PI: It’s all the things. The issues that we find out about Silicon Valley and each different ecosystem are due to the tales which might be being instructed, the movies which might be being shot about it, or the web sites that actively write about what’s taking place within the ecosystem. The media builds the ecosystem.
There have been totally different makes an attempt to inform the story of the evolution of the Nigerian tech ecosystem, what makes this documentary totally different from the remaining?
PI: One, it isn’t written. It’s a video. Two, it’s not a one-person account; we featured 25 folks within the documentary solid. It’s the first one which has this quantity of people who find themselves sharing their ideas. It covers each little bit of the story—previous, current, and future.
What subsequent ought to we anticipate from you?
PI: I’m going to be telling extra tales, and bringing the neighborhood nearer collectively. That’s my objective. And that’s the mission of Founders Join—to inform as many tales as we are able to. We at the moment are doing occasions to carry folks collectively. I’m realising the viewers is just not numbers on Twitter or on my YouTube channel.
I need to do extra deep dives into particular corporations. I believe there’s one other model of this documentary that might doubtlessly be commissioned.
