Jack Ma: Why I flew 15 hours just to visit Nigeria
Jack Ma, co-founder of Alibaba, Chinese e-commerce company, led a team of investors from his country to Nigeria on Thursday.
Speaking when he met with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential villa in Abuja, Ma said the essence of the visit is to understand Africa more.
One of the richest men in Aisa said he had been looking forward to visiting the country.
“I think our team today realised our dreams meeting you. We flew 15 hours into Nigeria and we are excited. This trip is to try to understand Africa more. We came to Africa four years ago and our plan is to visit four, five countries in every trip,” Ma said.
“My personal target is to try and visit every country in Africa in 10 years and support Africa. Nigeria is a great country with a large population, very strong economy, excellent young people with excellent innovations. And this is a country.”
Ma also shares some concepts that he feels could assist a developing nation like Nigeria.
“We also want help through four Es in Africa. The first, E list is E-infrastructure – support internet connections to everybody. We hope that every young person, every small business should have access to the internet to do business anywhere, anytime,” he said.
“The second E is support entrepreneurs, this is very important. We think we can make entrepreneurs as the heros of African continent. In China is the entrepreneurs that promote business development, government support entrepreneurs.
“The third is E-government, if government is on E, it will be very efficient, transparent, people will know government can help and government will know what the people want. The last and very important E is education.
“In the next few days we are going to have the all the internet prize, everyone in Africa can apply for award. I am happy to know that four Nigerian entrepreneurs are among the top 10. We will have the final competition in two days and I think Nigeria entrepreneurs will have great result.
“This is just the beginning. Our jobs is to support entrepreneurs. Everyone in the delegation, we are all founders of our own businesses in China. We think what we have experienced in China can help Africa entrepreneurs develop, support e-infrastructure, e-governance, e-entrepreneurs and e-education and this is what we came here for.
“We will love to have advise and know government’s direction so that we can do a better job.”
Osinbajo thanked Ma for “acknowledging Nigeria’s role in Africa and the world”.
“By leading a team of investors to Nigeria, I hope you see as we do, investment opportunities in Africa’s digital economy, infrastructure and her people,” Osinbajo said.
this is simply amazing and a new dawn for Nigeria
This was an indication Nigeria is making a remarkable progress, an outright impact which attracts investors to begin to exploring investment opportunities in Nigeria digital economy… Thanks for sharing this news.
The visit by Ma to Nigeria is a blessing in disguise. We should be able to realise that information technology is the gateway to development in both industrial and digital
He should say the truth he is here because of our population which portends good business expansion for his company.
Nigeria is a beautiful country without any doubt. There are amazing stuffs in Nigeria that can generate huge income if properly managed.
One day, Nigeria would receive the glory she deserves.
Great to see Alibaba founder visit Nigeria… And this is a great sign that Nigeria will continue to amaza the world and draw in great men ….
This proves that there are huge opportunities available in Nigeria. Ma is a very smart business man.
Jack visiting nigeria is a sign that e-commerce will boom in the coming years. I am really happy that foreign investors are showing interest in Nigeria.
If not for many hindrances, Nigeria should be a top-class Country, considering the natural resources and wealth it has. Jack saw that already.