Facebook, the leading social media platform in Nigeria, has indicated interest to launch its Internet.org app in Nigeria later this month.
Speaking on a panel at the recent Mobile West Africa conference in Lagos, Ebele Okobi, head, Public Policy (Africa) at Facebook said recommendations for locally relevant apps are being accepted in order to provide Nigerians with apps they can use for various purposes.
Okobi said Nigeria’s Internet.org app will include Facebook and locally relevant apps for education, sports, gossip and others.
The Internet.org app has been launched in Zambia, Kenya, Ghana and several other countries across the world.
According to Okobi, when launched in the Country, the subscribers of the partnering network will have access to a set of websites and services for free.
Although Okobi did not reveal any partnering telecoms network for Nigeria, she said Internet.org is encouraging telecoms companies to look at the long-term benefits and not immediate gains.
“Operators bear the cost. They are introducing internet to a lot of people. And based on agreement, they can introduce pricing following the expiration of the agreement,” she said. “We are asking them to give up short term profit for long-term benefits.”