The Broadcasting Board of Governors has announced that it is partnering with Hub Accra, a Ghana based tech incubator, to develop mobile solutions to promote civic engagement in West Africa.
According to the BBG, the partnership will create fellowships to provide local members of the tech and entrepreneurial communities with practical experience designing and developing mobile applications and services in collaboration with the BBG’s Office of Digital & Design Innovation.
The program, which is part of the BBG’s investment for expanding content creation and distribution to the Sahel, will help offer Hub Accra program participants media training, as well as mentoring in areas related to media development and local sustainability.
“We’re excited to work with Hub Accra to develop innovative mobile products that serve West African audiences and follow BBG’s principles for high-quality journalism,” said Adam Martin, acting director of ODDI. “Engaging communities in the Sahel in this process will play a great role in building tools for civic engagement by West Africans, for West Africans.”
Hub Accra fellows will explore ways to share news, information, cultural programming and social commentary to mobile device users not served by traditional media channels in the Sahel region.
Program participants include Kofi Kwansa Bart-Plange of Starfish Mobile Ghana along with Mukaila Hadi, Gbeila Aliu Wahab, Francis Kofigah and Samuel Kweku-Bio Dzidzornu from mobile startup Poll Afrique.
