Figma’s groundbreaking browser-based interface design tool with real-time collaboration has launched Figma Africa to connect designers across Africa on messaging app Slack, the Figma Africa social media channels and at various design events on the continent. So far, close to 800 designers from across Africa have joined the Figma Africa Slack channel.
Design has over the years been overlooked by the African continent although it has the potential to leapfrog us ahead, that is coming from Figma Africa lead advocate Namnso Ukpanah.
According to Namnso, although most people are embracing designs there is the need to pay some good attention to that.
As part of Figma's sensitization on designs, it has embarked on a roadshow to launch its Global Design Community in Accra,Ghana.
It further hopes to roll it out to other countries to establish a supportive global community across continents for amateur and professional designers and web designers.
“Our Africa launch was a tremendous success. It made sense to launch Figma’s global design community in Africa first, from Lagos to Accra and Cape Town is next and then to the rest of the world,” said Figma Africa lead advocate Namnso Ukpanah.
Speaking to Business Insider Sub Saharan Africa during the Accra Figma launch, Africa lead advocate expressed how impressive the African continent is embracing designs.
“Up to 80% of Figma’s users are located outside of the US and a large number of those users are based in Africa. That’s because Figma is uniquely positioned to suit the African design enthusiasts’ software needs – it is browser-based and therefore can be used from any device with an internet connection. It is also free for individuals and small teams, so they no longer need to install and run expensive design software to be able to do their jobs. It also allows you to design for any screen size or file format, and it’s made for team collaboration. As a result, Figma is one of the few US software companies paying attention to the untapped potential of the growing web design industry in Africa.”
Figma’s groundbreaking browser-based interface design tool with real-time collaboration has launched Figma Africa to connect designers across Africa on messaging app Slack, the Figma Africa social media channels and at various design events on the continent. So far, close to 800 designers from across Africa have joined the Figma Africa Slack channel.
Touching on the benefits of designs, Namnso stated that without designs individuals will end up with products that are displeasing.
He therefore made a general call for stakeholders to come up with a curriculum focused on teaching people to be good designers.
Figma Africa Accra launch event got underway at the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) incubator in Accra.