Connectnigeria Articles

Zubair Abubakar, creator of the Nigerian Constitution Mobile App, is a tech enthusiast/entrepreneur who strongly believes in the power of technology to solve problems and create wealth. When he is not behind his computer he likes to read and as often as he can volunteers few hours every weekend to a cause he believes in.

CN: What inspired you to choose this career path?

ZA: I’ve always wanted to be a mechanical/electrical engineer until I stumbled upon computing and programming. While finishing my Diploma in Information Management Systems, I developed a mini online banking system, which struck a cord in me and ignited my passion for programming and computing.

CN: Why did you decide to do the Nigerian Constitution Mobile App?

ZA: I wanted to develop an app that would be of value to majority of Nigerians (a killer app).

CN: What has been your feedback?

ZA: Feedback has been great. The project is now being handled by Pledge51 and thanks to Indigo Trust and Co-Creation Hub we have been able to develop Version2 with the feedback from Version1. Version2 which was released four months ago has been downloaded over 200,000 times and counting. This tells us that there is indeed value in it. We have also had “thank you” comments from Nigerians of various walks of life, including lawyers, students and teachers.

CN: What are your challenges?

ZA: For the kind project we are working, we are currently trying to convince clients to look beyond traditional media and see opportunities in mobile media.

CN: If you had $1m, what would you do with it?

ZA: I would simply invest it in Pledge51, to grow the company.

CN: What is your long-term vision for the company?

ZA: As a mobile media company we believe mobile is the new media in Nigeria and Africa and as such we want to position the company as a pioneer in the mobile industry.

CN: Who is your Mentor?

ZA: I do not have any at the moment.

CN: Can you tell us about your role models and businesspeople who inspire you?

ZA: People inspire me for different reasons. My uncle, for instance, is a man of integrity with love and compassion for people. He is a

CN: What drives you?

ZA: The urge to see things change for good

CN: What is your daily routine like?

ZA: It’s mostly working. As soon as I wake up in the morning, I say my prayers, read the Quran and then I head out to work. At weekends, I volunteer a few hours helping a cause I believe in when I can.

CN: What are some of the causes you’re passionate about, and why?

ZA: I believe in proper education for all because with education, it’s like teaching a man to fish, which gives him an opportunity to never go hungry, as opposed to giving him fish every time he is hungry. Though my full-time job mostly doesn’t permit me, I still try to find time to volunteer with some NGOs focused on Education, which is my way of giving back.

CN: Which books have inspired and motivated you?

ZA: Hmmm…first, let me mention that I believe reading books is one of the best ways of educating the mind especially when you read the right ones. I can’t remember all the books I’ve read but here are some interesting ones: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki, Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, Blink by Malcolm Gladwell, The Richest Man in Babylon by George Samuel Clason, Start-up Nation by Dan Senor and Saul Singer, and Think and Grow by Rich Napoleon Hill