Sim is the founder and former C.E.O of one of West Africa's largest electronic commerce website Konga.com and founder of E-Motion Advertising - a leading out-of-home media company acquired in 2019 by Loadstad Media. In 2014, he was named in Forbes' list of "10 Most Powerful Men in Africa".
The 48-year-old Sim Shagaya is a Nigerian born Entrepreneur who is recognized as the founder of uLesson Education Limited, E-Motion Outdoor Advertising, Konga.com and DealDey.
In August 2019, Sim Shagaya was invited to and accepted to serve as a member of the Economic Advisory Council of the Executive Governor of his home town, Plateau State, Samuel Lalong.
Early life and Education
Sim Shagaya was born on 2nd April, 1975 to Pauline Shagaya and John Nazip Shagaya, a military family in Plateau State.
His father, John Nanzip Shagaya was a Nigerian military officer who later ventured into politics and served in the Nigerian senate before he died in 2018.
Sim was raised alongside a good number of siblings from Lanthang in Plateau State.
Due to his family's military background Sim Shagaya is always on the move and this give him wide view of Nigeria which is one of the factor that made him a success he his today.
The Nigerian born Sim Shagaya served in the Nigerian Army after completing the Nigerian Military School. He completed most of his education in the US. He is a graduate of George Washington University and holds a Masters of Engineering degree from Dartmouth College. He also graduated with an MBA from Harvard Business School in 2003.
Career
Prior to the establishment of DealDey and Konga.com, Sim worked as a banker in South Africa under Rand Merchant Bank. He later moved to Nigeria where he became Google's head for Africa and went on to found a Lagos-based billboard advertising business called E-Motion in November 2005. Sim sits on the Economic Advisory Council of Plateau State, Nigeria.
DealDey and Konga.com
Before Sim started DealDey and Konga.com, he created several websites like Alarena, Jobclan, Gbogbo and iNollyWood which were relatively unsuccessful. In March 2011, DealDey was launched after he convinced the board of the billboard company he owned to invest in DealDey.
On 3 July 2012, Sim Shagaya founded Konga.com with a capital from Swedish investment firm Kinnevik. According to Sim Shagaya, the primary aim of Konga.com is to "aggregate the youngest and fastest-growing market that was dispersed, under-served and that traditional retailers were simply failing to reach".
Konga.com is a Nigerian e-commerce company and it was founded in July 2012. Its headquarters is in Gbagada, Lagos State. Also, it offers a third-party online marketplace.
Konga offers first-party direct retail. And this spans various categories. Like: Consumer electronics, fashion, home appliances, books, children’s items, computers & accessories, phones and tablets, health care, and personal care products.
Also, Konga.com has a logistics service (KXPRESS). And this enables the timely shipment and delivery of packages to customers.
uLesson Education Limited
The uLesson Group commonly known as uLesson, is a Nigerian edtech company, also operating as an online education platform through uLesson Education mobile application for primary and secondary E-learning. It was founded in 2019 by Sim Shagaya.
uLesson's our purpose is to prepare people for opportunity and improve society through education. They seek to build a learning experience unprecedented in its richness, scope, interactivity and effectiveness.
Miva Open University
Sim is also the founder and chancellor of Miva Open University which was recently launched and received its operating license in May 2023.
Miva is a leading online university that offers a wide range of flexible and affordable academic programmes to students all over the world. They offer undergraduate degrees in the fields of business, and technology.
Miva University is licensed by the National Universities Commission. The NUC is a University governing body in Nigeria.
Awards and recognition
2013 — Entrepreneur of the Year (CNBC/All Africa Business Leaders Award in West Africa)
2014 — CEO of the Year (The Leadership Conference/Awards)
2014 — The 10 Most Powerful Men In Africa (Forbes)
Sim Shagaya Net Worth
Sim Shagaya is estimated to have a net worth of over $400 million
