Facebook seems to be aggressively trying to extend its reach of Internet users. A report on Mashable stated that a 200 per cent jump in the number of users — from 20 million users of Facebook in September 2104 to 120 million in 2015 — in Africa has led to the social networking giant deciding to open up its first office in the continent. With the population of over one billion, Africa has a lot of potential users.
Office in Johannesburg
The website also reported that the office will be headed by Nunu Ntshingila, a veteran in marketing industry, and operate out of Johannesburg, South Africa. In a statement, Facebook said they would initially concentrate their business efforts on Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. They plan on hiring 25 employees.
Since more than 80 per cent of Africans access Facebook via their phones, the social networking site plans on working with advertisers and small businesses to aid them in the mobile ad space.
Google, on the other hand, already has several offices in Africa, and are working on projects to compete in the global connectivity space. Their project, Project Link, aims to bring fibre networks to developing world, while Project Loon looks at bringing air balloons that could supply Internet from air.
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