Bunmi Adetoyinbo
Two young Nigerian technology entrepreneurs, founder, HotsStop.com, Chinedu Echeruo and CEO, Konga.com, Simdul Shagaya have made the influential and respected American business magazine, Forbes Magazine’s list of 2014’s “10 Most Powerful Men in Africa.”
In the list which was released during the weekend Forbes indicated that the 2014 list follows the launching list of the 2011“10 Youngest Power Men In Africa”.
The magazine noted that the 2014 list is distinctive and it comprises of “Africa’s emerging power brokers who are carving a name for themselves and simultaneously changing their communities and the continent.”
Chinedu Echero is a Nigerian US based technology entrepreneur who founded HotStop.com in 2005. HotStop was sold to Apple in July, 2013 at an undisclosed amount but Forbes disclosed that it’s within the billion dollar range.
HopStop is an online city transit guide for travelers using its website, or apps for iPhone. The company’s services covers over 140 cities round the world, according to Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia. In 2011, the online transit guide was named one of the top 100 fastest growing software companies in the United State by Inc. magazine.
Echero also founded Tripology.com an interactive travel service that connects travelers with with travel specialists. The platform was acquired by an American travel and navigation information company, Today Travel Media Group in 2010.
The technology entrepreneur holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS from Syracuse University. He worked for several years in the Mergers & Acquisitions and Leveraged Finance groups of J.P Morgan Chase where he was involved in a broad range of M&A, Financing and Private Equity transactions.
Simdul Shagaya, who also made the list founded Konga.com and DealDey. He bagged the ‘All Africa Business Leaders Awards’ Entrepreneur of the Year award last year.
Konga.com which was described by Forbes as Africa’s answer to Amazon.com is Nigeria’s largest online shopping portal that sells goods and services directly to consumers.
Shagaya is a graduate of George Washington University, Dartmouth College and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.
