Sim Shagaya is an award-winning Nigerian media and technology entrepreneur.
He is one of the most successful young entrepreneurs in Nigeria and has earned several awards and recognitions, including appearing in the 2014 Forbes list of The 10 Most Powerful Men In Africa. He also won the 2013 CNBC\’s Entrepreneur of the Year award.
In 2023, Sim Shagaya announced that has been granted an online university license by the National Universities Commission (NUC). The online university, now called Miva Open University, will commence offering degrees in computing and management courses, including Computer Science, Accounting, Software Engineering, Economics, Public Policy & Administration, Business Management, Data Science and Cybersecurity.
While waiting for the D-day, we’d be bringing you some amazing facts you’d love to know about Sim Shagaya; from his biography to career and even more.
Sim Shagaya Profile
Before we proceed, let’s explore Sim Shagaya’s profile and a few facts you’d love to know about him:
Full name: Sim Shagaya
Date of birth: 2nd April 1976
Age: 47 years (2023)
Nationality: Nigerian
Parents: John Nazip Shagaya, Pauline Shagaya
Occupation: Entrepreneur
Education: George Washington University
Spouse(s):
Residence: Lagos, Nigeria
Net worth:
Sim Shagaya Biography and Educational Background
Sim Shagaya was born on the 2nd of April, 1976 to the family of John Nazip Shagaya and Pauline Shagaya from Plateau State. After obtaining his First School Leaving Certificate, he enrolled at the Nigerian Military School for his secondary.
He thereafter served in the Nigerian military for a while before relocating to the United States, where he pursued his studies at George Washington University, earning a Bachelor of Science (Hons) degree in Electrical Engineering. Continuing his educational pursuits, he pursued a Master of Science degree in Engineering Management at Dartmouth College. Additionally, he attained an MBA from Harvard University in 2003, situated in Boston, Massachusetts.
Career
Sim Shagaya started his professional journey at Rand Merchant Bank in South Africa before transitioning to a position at Google. Subsequently, he returned to Nigeria after being appointed as the head of Google in Africa.
During his tenure, he played a significant role in the establishment of prominent websites such as Alarena, Jobclan, Gbogbo, and iNollywood. In 2005, Sim ventured into entrepreneurship by founding E-Motion, a billboard advertising business based in Lagos.
In 2011, Sim founded DealDey after successfully convincing E-Motion to invest in it. Almost a year later, he went on to establish Konga.com Online Shopping Limited with the primary goal of aggregating the youngest and fastest-growing market that was dispersed, under-served, and that traditional retailers were simply failing to reach. He founded Konga.com with capital from Swedish investment firm Kinnevik.
In 2020, he founded the uLesson educational platform, an Online Learning App for secondary school students in Africa. In 2023, Miva Open University, an online university he established was granted an an Open Distance eLearning License by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Sim Shagaya Awards and Recognition
- Entrepreneur of the Year award at the 2013 CNBC/All Africa Business Leaders Award in West Africa
- Leadership CEO of the Year award at the 2014 The Leadership Conference/Awards
- In 2014, He was listed on Forbes’ list of “10 Most Powerful Men in Africa”
Social Media Handles
You can connect with Sim Shagaya on:
Facebook: Sim Shagaya
Twitter @SimShagaya
Instagram @SimShagaya
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