This BuzzFeed-like site has become a cultural powerhouse in Nigeria

Daniel Orubo had no intention of becoming a media personality when he graduated with an engineering degree in 2013, but his funny tweets just happened to catch the eye of a Nigerian publishing executive who planned to launch a BuzzFeed-like website called Zikoko.

Daniel started out as a senior writer, crafting humorous listicles like the “12 characteristics of Nigerian mothers,” but over the next half decade he helped transform Zikoko into a cultural force that’s willing to discuss hot-button issues around sexuality -- the kind of issues that are typically considered taboo in conservative Nigeria.

Daniel is now the editor-in-chief of Zikoko, and we recently sat down to discuss how the website found its audience and why it expanded beyond funny memes so it could tackle controversial topics.