The African subsidiary of Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has announced that the forthcoming deployment of the Metaverse will take place in Ivory Coast.
During a forum held in Abidjan on May 19, 2023, Balkissa Ide Siddo, who serves as the Director of Public Policy for Africa at Meta, expressed that the metaverse has the potential to facilitate medical students in practicing surgical techniques and also revolutionize the way school lessons are taught by introducing innovative and engaging methods.
This is not the first instance where Meta Platforms has introduced the African region to the metaverse. Meta debuted its inaugural Metaverse encounter in Africa half a year ago during a mixed-reality concert held in Lagos, Nigeria.
The occasion, known as #FlexNaija, acquainted creators with an audacious and innovative realm of opportunities in the Metaverse via three primary access points that aim to augment the dynamic and versatile nature of the online user experience.
The utilization of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), Avatars, and Augmented Reality as entry points has enabled creators to explore the potential of social media in terms of expanding and monetizing their content. Additionally, these technologies have facilitated the enhancement of future community engagement through the incorporation of modern technology.
During the event, Ms. Oluwasola Obagbemi, the Communication Manager for Anglophone West Africa, explained to reporters that the launch of Africa’s Metaverse journey in Nigeria was a strategic move. This is due to the fact that Nigerian creators have a significant impact on content creation throughout Africa and the world.
According to her statement, Meta had developed a campaign earlier this year with the aim of partnering with creators to improve the user experiences of both the creators and their communities.