Barely one year after it took control of Kenya’s foremost incubator and accelerator iHub, Nigerian-based Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB) has again moved on to another tech company in the East African country, eLimu.
The acquisition of eLimu, a digital educational content provider in the East Africa region, interestingly, was perfected by iHub on behalf of CcHUB.
A statement by CcHUB said the goal is to transform eLimu into the digital education platform arm of the company. The move may also be part of a growing trend by Nigerian tech founders to grow their frontiers beyond Africa’s largest economy notoriously plagued by insecurity, high foreign exchange volatility, and a business policy environment that is seen as stifling small businesses. Kenya, with its 51 million population is seen as one of the few relatively stable economies on the continent that is actively encouraging tech businesses.
eLimu, according to the statement, will continue to focus on leveraging cutting edge technology to create interactive and engaging learning content customised to the African context which will be initiated using the existing apps. The acquisition will enable eLimu to scale the apps beyond Kenya.
CcHUB has actively supported EdTech businesses and has also floated a digital education company known as Re:learn, a platform that helps students and schools use technology in smart ways to enhance learning.
“Education is the bedrock of healthy societies,” ‘Bosun Tijani, co-founder, and Chief Executive Officer, CcHUB, said. “As we continue to contribute to shaping the innovation ecosystem in Africa, accelerating the application of innovation and technology in improving education outcomes will be crucial to driving our overall agenda.”
eLimu has an existing audience of approximately 500,000 teachers and learners. With COVID pushing up interest in eLearning, eLimu said it has seen unprecedented growth rates in recent times.
Some of the services include revision and literacy platforms that make learning fun and engaging for curious children both at school and at home. The combination of engaging content with proven methods and practice of teaching has ensured that learning outcomes on eLimu improve dramatically for over 500,000 learners.
eLimu also has literacy apps for 6 and 7 year-olds that includes dozens of stories written by Kenyan teachers, illustrated by artists across East Africa, and read by voice actors and celebrities, such as Caroline Mutoko famously known for hosting a morning breakfast show on Kiss 100 FM.
The stories cover different aspects of learning including letter tracing, spelling, and sentence making exercises. The eLimu platform also has different translations such as English, Swahili, Somali, and Lugbarati. The company noted an independent study in Dadaab refugee camp which indicated progress in reading fluency 3 times faster than the control group.
“I’m thrilled to see eLimu spread its wings across Africa to make learning fun and engaging for even more children,” Nivi Sharma, founder of eLimu said. “eLimu will continue to leverage its deep knowledge of the education system to tap into the opportunity to transform learning everywhere.”
As part of the acquisition deal, Abiola Olaniran, founder and CEO of Gamesole, will form part of the management team as eLimu’s Chief Technology Officer. The statement from CcHUB said it expects Olaniran who has a track record in building high-performing and lucrative technology products to play a key role in transforming eLimu into the leading digital educational content provider on the continent.
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