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#EndSARS: Nigeria’s Tech Startup Scene Faces Horrors of Police Brutality

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Nigeria’s bubbly tech startup scene which is awash with “young-and-getting-it coders and tech entrepreneurs” has been disproportionately affected by the SARS menace.

#EndSARS: Nigeria’s Tech Startup Scene Faces Horrors of Police Brutality

According to weetracker.com, between startups like Flutterwave, Paystack, Andela, and Helium Health, there have been harrowing tales of police brutality and extortion, perpetuated by SARS, in the last few years.

There seems to be no distinction, the horror episodes have affected both the most reputable of founders/investors and even upcoming techies.

Iyin “E” Aboyeji, who co-founded both Andela and Flutterwave, remembers being picked up by SARS for no reason in Ogbomosho, Oyo State, on his way to a meeting with a top government official about setting up Andela in Ibadan.

According to weetracker.com, his only crime was having a decent job and building things on the internet in his own country.

Aboyeji has stories for days about how he had to extricate many an Andela Fellow from the SARS web every other time during his days at the talent outsourcing startup.

Their crime? Having a laptop in their backpack or a nice phone in their pocket, owning a car, riding in an Uber, spotting locks or tattoos, or just looking like they clean up good. Or just being a young person in Nigeria.

The co-founder/CEO of Nigerian health-tech startup, Adegoke Olubisi, had his life flash before his eyes when he was shot at by two SARS officers while taking a stroll one night on the Lekki-Ikoyi bridge in Lagos.

Yele Bademosi, another well-known member of the tech industry who co-founded Nigerian venture capital firm, Microtraction, and is the CEO of fintech startup, Bundle, has his own SARS horror story. Bademosi was kidnapped and extorted by SARS officers while heading home in October 2019.

Apparently, the notoriety of this now-infamous rogue police unit touches everyone, not just locals.

Aubrey Hruby, the co-founder of InsiderPR and an investor in African startups, told a horrid account of how she brought VC investors to Nigeria from Egypt last year and they were “completely shaken down and robbed by the police as they were leaving the country after an amazing week of meeting with stellar Nigerian entrepreneurs.”

Jesse Ghansah, the Ghanaian entrepreneur who is the co-founder of Swipe, has had his run-ins with SARS in Nigeria and remembers the extortion and harassment that his team members have faced time and again at the hands of the rogue officers.

Although calls to end to SARS have been on and off since 2017, the Nigerian tech community united to confront the menace after a sour September 2019 episode involving a young software developer at Buffer Media.

The victim was Akinmolayan Oluwatoni, he was accosted on his way home, harassed, taken away, locked up, assaulted, threatened, and eventually extorted by SARS. His crime? Just being a young person with a phone and a laptop.

That incident sparked the coming to life of the #StopRobbingUs campaign against police brutality meted out on young Nigerians in tech. This campaign was crowdfunded by the local tech industry.

But never before has the resolve among Nigerians to not only #EndSARS but also bring about substantial reform across every unit of the local police force been this strong.

That is why even after the nationwide protests forced the current Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to announce the “dissolution” of SARS in a televised briefing on Sunday, October 11, Nigerians are still out in their numbers protesting peacefully and demanding real change. That’s probably because SARS has been “banned and disbanded” many times before, but they have continued to wreak havoc.

It certainly hasn’t helped that protesters have been shot at, tear-gassed, water-cannoned, flogged, beaten, captured, and allegedly killed by police officers in the middle of peaceful demonstrations against police brutality.

Among the individuals and groups contributing to the fight against police brutality is the Nigerian tech startup scene whose talent assets are among the biggest victims of the SARS menace.

Nigerian fintech startup, Flutterwave, which has seen several members of its staff suffer unjustly at the hands of SARS officers according to CEO, Olugbenga Agboola, announced a fund on Friday, October 9, and raised NGN 2 Mn (USD 5.2 K) in-house.

The fund, which is now open to the public, exists to cater to victims of police brutality and put an end to impunity. Donations to the fund amounting to millions of naira have trickled in from various tech startups and other well-meaning individuals.

Bademosi’s newly-launched fintech startup, Bundle, has also set up three cryptocurrency wallets to raise funds globally in support of #EndSARS protestors and victims of SARS and has contributed NGN 1 Mn (USD 2.6 K) to the fund.

Bundle is raising funds to support #EndSARS protests around Nigeria; to provide resources for our people on the frontline, as well as to fight against police brutality via all the available channels.


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NiRA Announces First Edition of The Tech Convergence: A Gathering of Stakeholders in Nigeria’s Digital Economy

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The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), the official registry for the .ng country code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD), is proud to announce The Tech Convergence 1.0, a two-day conference and exhibition set to take place on the 28th and 29th of November 2024 at the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

The Tech Convergence 1.0, commemorating its inaugural edition this year, will become a conference and exhibition held each year. For this year, it will precede the 7th edition of the awards also being held in November.

Why Tech Convergence 1.0?

Over the years, Nigeria’s digital scene has seen an explosion of innovators, showcasing how rapidly our digital and internet space is evolving. However, numerous challenges still limit its potential for growth and global competitiveness.

The Nigerian Internet Registration Association (NiRA) recognizes that to ensure Nigeria’s digital future is secure, sustainable, and globally competitive, there is a need to address these issues collectively.

The Tech Convergence 1.0 was conceived by NiRA to serve as a collaborative platform where stakeholders can explore synergies, foster innovation, and collectively drive Nigeria’s digital landscape forward. This ground-breaking event will bring together key stakeholders, innovators, creators, and tech enthusiasts within Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

The event, themed “Innovating Nigeria’s Digital Future Through Tech and Creativity,” will explore how technological advancements, particularly in the DNS industry and digital content, can accelerate Nigeria’s journey toward becoming a digital powerhouse. It will also create an enabling environment for innovators and creators to thrive.

Additionally, it provides an avenue for stakeholders to explore synergies that will drive the growth of Nigeria’s digital space and contribute to the growth of our internet and DNS industry by promoting the adoption of the .ng domain.

Speaking on the upcoming event, Mr. Adesola Akinsanya, President of NiRA, noted: “The Tech Convergence 1.0 is a pivotal moment for us to come together as a digital community and chart the course for Nigeria’s digital future.

“Our digital future depends on how well we adapt, innovate, and collaborate today. Through the .ng domain, we have a powerful tool that can drive not only business growth but also our nation’s global digital presence.”

The event will feature key activities such as exhibitions, plenary sessions, masterclasses, networking sessions, VR games, raffle draws, and a meet-and-greet with our partners. The event is free and open to the public to attend.

Registration for The Tech Convergence 1.0 is now open, and we invite businesses, innovators, digital creators, government agencies, corporate organizations, tech enthusiasts, and others to register and participate in shaping the future of Nigeria’s digital space.

The Tech Convergence 1.0 will also feature insightful panel sessions on both days, led by top industry leaders and experts. These sessions will explore crucial topics such as digital innovation, content creation, and the adoption of emerging technologies.

Exhibitors are encouraged to showcase their products and services, as The Tech Convergence 1.0 offers an ideal platform to present the latest innovative products and technologies in Nigeria’s digital space to a wide audience of tech enthusiasts and industry leaders.

Recognizing the importance of collaboration, NiRA is seeking sponsors and partners to help make this event a success. We invite you to visit our website to explore sponsorship options or learn how to partner with us.

By partnering with NiRA and other key ecosystem players, you will not only expand your network but also collaborate with influential figures in the Nigerian digital space and showcase your brand to the right audience.

For more information and details on The Tech Convergence 1.0, please visit the official website.

For enquires on sponsorship, partnership and how to be an exhibitor at The Tech Convergence 1.0, contact Ms. Abimbola Aderibigbe at [email protected].


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FDA Okays Elon Musk’s ‘Blindsight’ Brain Chip to Restore Vision for the Blind

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Neuralink, the brain-chip company co-founded by Elon Musk, has achieved a significant milestone with its latest device, “Blindsight,” receiving the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) breakthrough designation.

FDA Okays Elon Musk’s ‘Blindsight’ Brain Chip to Restore Vision for the Blind

This recognition highlights the potential of Blindsight to restore vision to individuals suffering from complete or partial blindness, including those with damaged optic nerves.

Blindsight is designed to help even those who have been blind since birth, provided their visual cortex remains functional.

Initially, the device is expected to offer low-resolution vision, but over time, it holds the potential for users to perceive advanced wavelengths like infrared and ultraviolet, offering possibilities beyond natural sight.

Neuralink, established in 2016, is pioneering brain-computer interfaces aimed at addressing neurological disorders. Its technology includes brain implants capable of reading neural signals and wirelessly transmitting them to external devices.

The company is also working on devices to assist paralyzed individuals in controlling digital tools using their thoughts.

Recent developments include the successful implantation of Neuralink’s brain-computer interface in a second patient, who is now able to control video games and design 3D objects using thought alone.

 

 

 


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Nigeria’s Mpox Cases Mostly Affect Children, Men – NCDC

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Mpox infections are disproportionately affecting children and males in Nigeria, according to recent data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

Nigeria’s Mpox Cases Mostly Affect Children, Men – NCDC

Pix Credit: Sky News

Since January 2024, males have accounted for 67% of Mpox cases, with men making up approximately 70% of the 6,001 suspected and confirmed cases recorded since September 2017.

The disease is spreading rapidly, with 1,031 suspected cases reported across 47 local government areas in 23 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Children under five years old are among the most affected, followed by the 26-30 and 46-50 age groups.

Mpox is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus, characterized by a painful rash, swollen lymph nodes, and fever. While most people recover fully, some may become seriously ill.

The disease can spread from animals to humans and between humans through close contact, respiratory droplets, and contaminated objects.

To combat the outbreak, Nigeria has received a donation of 10,000 doses of Jynneos, a Mpox vaccine, from the United States government.

 


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