Mujahid Musa is a young entrepreneur who ventured into Information and Communication Technology (ICT) after graduating with good grades from the Faculty of Communication, Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano (BUK). Born in 1995, Mujahid had over the years registered himself as a household name in ICT development, especially in the e-commerce sector.
The Kano-born Mujahid said that as a young graduate, he wanted to practise journalism and make a name as a committed investigative reporter that would expose shady dealings in the Nigerian polity, but fortunately or unfortunately, he dropped his dream and embraced ICT.
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The change in dream started when it became clear to him that finding a job was not as easy as he thought. He tried to get a government job but couldn’t withstand the long and endless wait, and as such, he took the job of a sales agent with computer hardware merchants. It was while working as a computer hardware agent that he started nursing and developing strategies to establish an ICT-driven business that has Africans in mind.
According to him, it was observed that Africa had gradually become a circumstantial recipient of any form and kind of ICT gadget, even when such gadget failed to address the African climatic, social and cultural differences. He added that it was based on this that he decided to establish EGL Africa.
“The experience I have in the ICT sector has really opened my eyes, as well as uplifted my curiosity to manufacture ICT products meant for Africans. Many people thought that this was not possible. However, we are committed to proving to world that Nigeria and Africans can do it as well. That is why we formed EGL Africa, a company that offers retail, wholesale and computing software, tablets, mobile phones, professional repairs, web design, development, web management, training, installation, application development and content creation. Our major concern has been manufacturing certain products and services in the ICT sector, such as computers, including laptops, with Africans in mind,” he said.
He further revealed that a business visibility study he conducted showed that despite the fact that Kano State had been the centre of commerce, most of the business activities conducted fell short of an effective e-commerce, and by extension, business people lose a lot from their prospective customers in the whole of Africa.
Explaining further, Mujahid said most of the ICT gadgets in use in Nigeria and Africa in general were not meant for Africans due to high cost, poor user friendly facilities, poor conformity to Africa’s weather, culture and tradition.
“The world has changed, so do the people. We now live in an ICT world where people that understood the trend are becoming millionaires every day. We have been conducting research upon research on how Africans can get involved, not as consumers but producers also. And in trying to achieve this, our business is carefully strategised to fill the wide ICT hardware and software gaps, as well as to satisfy Africa’s ICT demand,” he revealed.
Young Mujahid added that the company aims at becoming the largest gadgets supplier in Africa by creating large gadgets chain stores, as well as real time virtual stores. According to him, what is most important is making sure that Africans get the genuine quality and reliable gadgets that they deserve at pocket friendly prices.
Asked how possible it is for him to start such a huge capitally extensive business, Mujahid said, “It is indeed possible. We have begun to receive huge investor’s response to our projects and it will interest you to note that there are many investors across the globe that have shown interest in what we are doing and what we intend to do. Moreover, we are in talks with a lot of big names in the Nigerian business community; and believe me, the response we are getting is superb. Very soon, we will make Nigeria and Africa proud, by God’s grace,” Mujahid said.
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