Facebook CEO lauds Tuteria boss, a Nigerian tech geek he met in Abuja

Founder and CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, has lauded Godwin Benson, a Nigerian tech inventor, whose award winning invention is connecting people.

Zuckerberg used a post on his facebook page to speak highly about how Benson’s Tuteria Nigeria platform was contributing to education and economic advancement on the continent.

‘‘Last month in Abuja, Nigeria, I met Godwin Benson. Godwin founded Tuteria Nigeria, an online platform that connects people seeking to learn with people nearby who can teach them.

‘‘Tuteria Nigeria won one of six awards for the Internet.org Innovation Challenge for services that provide education and economic development opportunities across the African continent,’‘ Mark said.

Nigeria's Godwin Benson nominated for IPAPrize 2016 for Tuteria, a peer-to-peer learning online platform PaulineM4 pic.twitter.com/pAAi6t97KP

— IPA Prize (@IPAprize) June 2, 2016

He congratulated all winners for their efforts aimed at the advancement of the continent. ‘‘These services are all examples of the great work being done by entrepreneurs across the African continent to strengthen their communities and create opportunity.

Congratulations to the winners and all the other entrepreneurs who are doing this important work!’‘ he concluded.

Other winners in the contest that shot Tuteria to the limelight were Esoko, Hyperion Development, MPedigree Goldkeys, SaferMom, and mPharma Mutti.

Zuckerberg recently embarked on his first visit to sub Saharan Africa, Nigeria and Kenya were his two destinations. He met with tech people in both countries. In the case of Nigeria, his second visit saw him meet with President Muhammadu Buhari and other top government officials at the presidency.

Zuckerberg has in the past celebrated an 11-year-old Nigerian boy, Tayo, who recently built a game called ‘Spike Rush.’

‘‘I got my first computer when I was Tayo’s age, and just like him I started out coding games. I’ve always thought building simple games was the gateway to building more complex apps.

My first games were simpler than Tayo’s, but no matter your level, there’s nothing like playing something you built yourself,’‘ his post of September 16 read.