Day 1-1,000 for Izesan: “We made no revenue in our first 3 years”!

Few founders are willing to take on the task of preserving Africa’s linguistic heritage. Anthony Otaigbe, is one of those founders. I was astonished when I saw Izesan!’s Instagram advertisement. Someone was promising to do what Duolingo has done for Spanish and French for African languages. Anthony Otaigbe was the first founder I interviewed for TechCabal. He is the founder of Izesan! an edtech platform.

Otaigbe answers the call two years after our initial interview. The sunlight is filtering through his windows and giving his beige kaftan a warm glow. He is seated upright with blonde hair and a beard. Even in the pixelated video you can see his passion for Izesan. It is difficult to miss the evolution of Izesan since our last conversation.

Otaigbe was born and raised in the US, but he could not speak the language of his native Esan community, which is located in the southern Nigerian State of Edo. Otaigbe sat silently at family gatherings, unable to understand or join in on the conversation.

I couldn’t relate to siblings. “I was the only person who didn’t get it,” he said. “Learning my native language was very hard because there were no resources available,” he said. “I had to put in Herculean effort to learn what I thought I should have known from childhood.

Otaigbe went the extra mile to master his indigenous language. “I asked my parents, aunts and uncles questions. Otaigbe told me that when we first met two years ago, he even called his grandfather in the village to ask him questions and to learn more.

Not everyone is as determined as Otaigbe to learn his native language. “I thought it would be easier for my peers to learn these languages if there was an app.”

Otaigbe built one. Not only for himself, but also for a generation of diasporan Nigerians, who had grown up fluently in French, Spanish and Survival, but mute with their mother tongues.

So Izesan! It was born. He created a mobile application that taught African languages starting with Esan. No VC capital. No advisors. Just one person trying their best to reconstruct their identity using code.

Izesan! The Esan language was the first to be taught, but it has now expanded to include 15 other African languages, including Yoruba and Swahili. The app uses interactive lessons and exercises to teach users different African languages.

Day 1:An app for free. A flood of downloads. And a deafening quiet

Otaigbe reached out to a far-away group of developers from Pakistan and together they, They built the Izesan! app. It was free when they launched it, in 2019. This was a gift to the entire world and especially to Nigerian communities living abroad who were eager to reconnect. Downloads surged. But cracks began to appear quickly.

Yes, people downloaded it. But they didn’t stick around. “Retention was terrible”he recalls.

Making an app free had its own set of problems. People felt entitled for endless fixes and improvements. “People expected perfection. But they didn’t pay. I updated the app endlessly, for free.”

Each day, Otaigbe received complaints about bugs, features, and quality. He spent his own money on endless updates to keep the users happy. Three years passed. Yet, there was no revenue.

I have often questioned, as a journalist the real promise of edtech startup companies focused on teaching African language. It’s obvious that they serve a primarily diaspora–people who have more discretionary income than those living on the continent. What tangible benefits can learning your native tongue provide, beyond nostalgia and cultural connections? The appeal of African language apps, unlike Duolingo where English is dominant because it opens up jobs and opportunities for immigrant, is not usually about necessity. This raises the question of whether these platforms are sustainable when identity is the primary driver, rather than utility.

Otaigbe stated on the call that “teaching a language” is not what most people think of when they are looking for a profitable business idea. “It wasn’t really about a company, but more about solving a particular problem. But at the end of it all, you made it into a business.” Because of the society in which we live, economics is a major factor. For an idea to be sustainable there must be capital to drive it.

By 2022, things changed. After a disagreement in Pakistan, the backend developer disabled the app. Otaigbe felt both liberated and saddened by the situation.

It was almost a relief. No more complaints. No more complaints. I finally had the chance to start over, on my own terms.”

Day 1000-Present Day : The first pivot of diaspora students to Nigerian classrooms.

In 2022, Otaigbe moved back to Nigeria to make a new start at Izesan!

I thought to myself that once I brought this app back to Nigeria, it would be monetized. Not only will I monetize it, but I’m going to pivot my customer demographic.

Otaigbe realized after three years of analysing data and doing research that education and entertainment do not play by the same rules. “Education is not something people do for fun,” he said. Most people use learning platforms to advance their careers or obtain certifications. It’s almost a necessity, a way to increase income.

This insight led Otaigbe to make a pivotal change: instead of targeting individuals, Otaigbe started offering Izesan. Directly to schools, embedding a platform where language learning becomes a necessity, not a nostalgic luxury.

But getting the schools on board was difficult. Izesan! Izesan! Nigeria had just devalued their currency by 70%. Some private schools started losing customers. Some closed down while others tightened budgets.

The schools weren’t interested. If they were interested, the price we offered them would be a ridiculously low price.

They continued, visiting each school one by one. One day, a modest private school signed up. Then, another. Then came the full validation: American International School, Abuja. Page Schools, Lordsville Academy and Golden View Montessori followed in Lagos and Abuja.

Izesan made the switch from B2C (business-to-consumer) to B2B. Izesan experimented with new approaches, from launching podcasts to moving towards web-based training. The company had to make difficult decisions about its staffing.

When you’re trying establish a market, the methods that you use will change,” Otaigbe said. “The needs of the business evolve as it matures, and you begin to determine exactly who you are trying to reach.” As these needs change, the staff must also adapt, as not everyone is flexible and able to adapt. This led to a reduction of talent as the company adapted.

B2B worked, but the real money went elsewhere

The product was validated by private schools. But growth was slow.

To close each deal, administrators had to be met, the platform had to be demonstrated, and board decisions were awaited. In Nigerian private school, the real power is often held by a silent “chairman”or “chairwoman”who no one can reach.

The principals loved it. The teachers loved it. The final call was always someone I couldn’t see. The deal would stall half the time. Go to the states. “Education in Nigeria is localized.” (19659036) So Izesan. The company expanded its focus by pitching directly to state education ministries. The company’s initial inroads were made in the northern states of Adamawa, Bauchi Gombe Jigawa Kano, where the need for local languages education was particularly acute. Izesan has changed its focus. Apps were developed to help teachers teach in the local language. The team began co-developing curriculums in subjects such as math and science, and produced textbooks for low-tech settings where electricity and internet access are not reliable.