Facebook has announced that the Internet.Org app would be launched in Nigeria by May. The Internet.org is a Facebook initiative with a 5 year plan to bring about 5 Billion people online in areas where the Internet is inaccessible.
Speaking during a panel session at the ongoing Mobile West Africa 2015 Conference, Head of Public Policy (Africa) at Facebook, Ebele Okobi, made the disclosure. Recommendations are said to be ongoing for the locally used relevant apps that would make Nigerian derive the ideal behind the initiative.
As expected Facebook would be free on the platform, but it would be joined by apps from news, gossips, education, sports and others. While the list of apps accessible on the platform is unknown, the network provider to be partnered with is also under the wraps for now. The company has partnered with Airtel on several occasions and expectedly that could continue. However, Nigeria unlike other countries could have more network options to choose from.
Internet.Org is currently available in fellow African countries like Ghana, Zambia, and Tanzania and also available in India, Indonesia, Colombia Guatemala and the Philipines. About 800 million people are accessing the Internet through this medium around the world.
The Internet.Org initiative has been an intense discussion in India with companies pulling out of the initiative stating it flouts the Net Neutrality rules. Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg has come out to clarify that both Net Neutrality and the Internet.Org can co-exist together. You can check the full post on his Facebook Timeline.
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