To accomplish sustainable innovation, all players in the ecosystem must work together because it cannot be completed by one person or organisation. This statement was contained in a speech delivered by the Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, at the Innovation Support Network (ISN) 2023 Annual Gathering with the theme “Unlocking Potential: Collaborating for Growth and Impact’’ at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre, Abuja.

Inuwa emphasised that the tech industry thrives on collaboration and over 60% of global innovation now involves some form of cross-organisational collaboration. “A 2020 report by Microsoft indicates that over 95% of Fortune 500 companies rely on Microsoft Cloud services, illustrating how digital collaboration is driving business operations and innovation.” DG NITDA noted.

The Director General who was represented at the event by the National Coordinator, Office of the Nigerian Digital Innovation ONDI, Yakubu Musa, added that collaboration is the leading competitive edge across all spheres of socioeconomic activities, and this year’s annual gathering is to encourage and strengthen collaboration towards assisting innovators in discovering innovative and efficient solutions to the various problems confronting us in the economic, social, and political/governance realms.

He further revealed that technological advancements help societies to develop interconnected networks of cooperation which helps to accomplish more and improve the quality of life, thus allowing us to use these platforms to access ecosystems, talents, and information that are democratizing knowledge.

Furthermore, the DG said, ”these statistics are indicative of the fact that the world is becoming increasingly interconnected, interdependent, and collaborative. Therefore, collaboration is no longer an option, but a necessity for progress and growth.”

He stated that recognising collaboration as the dominant component for the digital transformation of the economy, the Director General noted that, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), is unrelenting in its promotion of an environment suitable for all stakeholders to collaboratively grow and impact the digital innovation ecosystem.

He added that the role of the Agency is manifested through various enabling policies, guidelines, and strategies.

“Through strategic local and international relationships, NITDA has continued to work towards the realization of its overarching mandates. And, through numerous collaborative efforts, we have co-created enabling policies and regulatory instruments, as well as implemented programmes and initiatives for the sustainable development of Nigeria’s digital economy.”

He argued that in order to deepen our collaboration with the ecosystem, two Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), the Office for Nigerian Innovation (ONDI) and the National Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) were established.

And through these SPVs, there have been collaborations with relevant stakeholders in implementing programmes such as the Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support (TIES) Scheme, the iHatch Startup Incubation Programme, amongst others.

Inuwa expressed his confidence in NITDA’s collaborative efforts to foster creativity and innovation to help the entrepreneurs catalyze digital innovation and entrepreneurship in all its ramifications.

He urged the public and private sector stakeholders to join the organizers of the annual gathering to avail themselves of the opportunities to collaborate and support the establishment of a prosperous and sustainable digital innovation ecosystem.

The Finland Ambassador to Nigeria, Leena Pylvänäinena, stated that as one of the top 10 most innovative countries in the world and as a small country, collaboration is key for success in any area.

Pylvänäinena reiterated that “there is much more that can be done in terms on partnerships and collaboration between Finnish Startup and Innovation Community and Nigerian startup community”.

The Executive Vice Chairman NASENI, Khalil Halilu, in his own remark, asserted that ISN was a product of collaboration, stating that working together is key in achieving progress, creating solutions to the most pressing challenges facing us, producing technological innovations and for creating jobs and wealth.

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TECHDIGEST – The Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE has attested that digital innovation is ushering better lives to Africans and improving the continent’s digital economy.

Inuwa, represented by National Coordinator, Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), Yakubu Musa said this at the e-Tech Africa Summit in Abuja.

He stated that digital innovation is about using technology to “improve the way we do things which has led to the increased efficiency in the provision of cutting-edge solutions, goods, and services at a relatively cost-effective price.”

The DG asserted that that digital innovation can improve the government’s openness, accountability, and efficiency by bringing it closer to the people.

“Today, digital skills are becoming ever more important in Africa as the continent is poised at the threshold of massive growth and acceleration in the world. Currently, Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is 3.1 Trillion USD, with digital innovations contributing 200 Billion USD,” he said.

Referring to Statista report, Inuwa said the population of Africa is expected to double by 2050 which presents endless opportunities for robust and inclusive growth that will harness its rich natural resources and abundant human potential to increase prosperity not only in Africa but also the world at large.

“To take advantage of this abundant and crucial asset, Africa needs to be digitally connected and skilled,” the Director General noted. Adding that further that “to realize Africa’s digital potential, certain issues must be resolved.”

“One of the resources required to transform the African digital innovation ecosystem is digital talent. Lack of relevant skills can limit the opportunities for African countries, therefore, continuous programmes for learning digital literacy and skills should be prioritised to increase human capacity and achieve digital inclusion,” Inuwa said.

Inuwa further stated that the need to increase broadband access at a cheaper rate is imperative because the digital transformation depends on the internet.

He added that, “Proper planning and incentives for young people engaging in digital innovation are necessary to encourage them to develop technologies that address our peculiar local problems and socioeconomic needs.”

While acknowledging that there are important hurdles to cross, Inuwa said one of the most important hurdles to overcome is creating functional digital infrastructure and modernising it to fully benefit from the digital economy.

He added that this Pitchfest competition at the summit would provide talented youths the opportunities to showcase their innovative ideas and solutions for enhanced productivity in different sectors as well as improve efficiency in the delivery of innovative products and services.

Inuwa also challenged the participants to pitch on defined ideas and develop solutions that would enhance the growth of Africa’s digital innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

He disclosed that their programme aligns with several initiatives that are being implemented by NITDA through its Special Purpose Vehicles – Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation, ONDI, and the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, (NCAIR.)

He said, “NITDA created the ONDI to ensure the promotion, growth and protection of the Nigerian digital innovation ecosystem for the growth of Nigeria’s digital economy.”

“The Office is responsible for facilitating the growth of the Nigerian digital economy through the creation of Innovation-Driven Enterprises (IDEs) that will promote job creation and the proliferation of market-creating innovations to create more prosperity for Nigeria.

“This is in furtherance of NITDA’s commitment to sustaining the promotion and growth of Indigenous Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship, derived from our Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2021-2024) aimed at creating and sustaining an enabling framework for profitable adoption of home-grown innovation to accelerate the progress of the nation’s economy,” he added.

While commending the effort of the organisers, the NITDA boss called on other relevant organisations across the country to initiate similar hackathons and competitions to provide opportunities and resources to empower more indigenous tech innovators to churn out solutions that can solve nation’s problems.

He assured that NITDA remains committed to partnering with e-Tech Africa and other like-minded organisations towards supporting and promoting talented and exceptional indigenous innovators to boost the economic fortune of Nigeria in particular and Africa’s digital economy in general.

The founder of Moolu Venture Capital, Prince Ogbonna, also gave his remarks at the summit agreeing with the submission of the NITDA’s boss; emphasising the need for more infrastructures and funding.
He noted that their focus is on increasing assets, reducing costs, and improving quality in the digital economy.

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TECHDIGEST – As part of efforts toward sustaining the promotion and growth of digital innovation and entrepreneurship derived from the seven (7) pillars of its Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP) 2021-2024, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) through Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), a subsidiary of the Agency, in partnership with Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) held Idea Hatch (iHatch) 1st Cohort Demo Day with a commitment to work with relevant stakeholders and partners in implementing programmes and initiatives that will accelerate innovation and provide the much-needed jobs for Nigerian youths.

The Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, represented by National Director of the National Centre for Artificial intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), Engr. Ya’u Garba, lauded the Startup Incubation Programme which he described as a vibrant demonstration of the importance of collaboration for the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship in Nigeria’s digital economy.

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He said, “The partnership with JICA in the implementation of the iHatch programme is part of our initiatives to strengthen the tech and innovation ecosystem for the creation of more IDEs that will invariably contribute to creation of jobs for our teeming youth and the prosperity of our country”.

Inuwa expressed the hope that the programme would go a long way in nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit of young innovative Nigerians to catalyze the Nigerian digital economy to the next level.

“This is to increase the number of Innovation-Driven Enterprises (IDES) viz a viz sustaining the growth of Nigeria’s digital economy.”, the DG asserted.

Inuwa, who gave a comprehensive overview of the different processes during the incubation period noted that over five thousand (5,000+) entries were received in the countdown to present moment.

“The number was pruned down to 8 startups, comprising a Founder and Co-Founder for each startup, after undergoing two levels of rigorous selection process conducted by a panel of 10 judges, constituted of experts from diverse areas of technology and innovative entrepreneurship.”

“The selection process assessed the startups’ ideas based on the criteria of profitability, scalability, social impact, idea technique, competitive advantage, experience, and a clearly defined future roadmap”, he added.

According to Inuwa, in the course of the programme, the startups benefited from free virtual and physical interactive lectures with experienced mentors, free workspace, mentorship meetings with tech professionals, pitch deck enhancement, and networking opportunities, and four startups that were initially not legally registered, successfully registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) while work is in progress on the prototyping and Intellectual Property (IP) registration of their business ideas.

Inuwa maintained that the Demo Day also marks the inauguration of the Second Cohort of the iHatch Incubation Programme.

While appreciating the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), for facilitating the partnership between the Japanese and Nigerian governments and for making the iHatch programme a reality, Inuwa also appreciated the Japanese Government, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), for keeping faith in the highly impactful partnership.

“Flowing from this partnership, NITDA and JICA conceptualised and designed the iHatch, a 5-month free intensive incubation programme executed by the ONDI and hosted within the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR).”

“Essentially, the programme is designed to help Nigerian entrepreneurs refine their business ideas through a series of coaching, lectures, and bootcamps to generate scalable and adaptable business models in the country”, he noted.

Referencing Statistic where Nigeria is reported to have an estimated 3,300 startups in 2020, which is highest on the African continent; the NITDA Boss stressed that Nigerian startups have continued to attract more investment than other countries on the continent, with a number of the startups raising about USD$600 million in the first quarter (Q1) of 2022.

“The top ten startups that attracted the funding are Flutterwave ($250 million); Moove ($105 million); ThriveAgric ($56.4 million); Reliance Health ($40 million); Bamboo ($15 million); Credpal ($15 million); SeamlessHR ($10 million); DrugStoc ($4.4 million); Casava ($4 million) and Sudo Africa ($3.7 million). These clearly indicates the vast potentials that abound within Nigeria’s tech and innovation ecosystem”, Inuwa averred.

Meanwhile other speakers including the Chief Representative, JICA Nigeria, Susumu Yakzorio and the AG. National Coordinator, ONDI, Yakubu Musa were optimistic that the programme will inspire Nigerians to become active players in the global innovation-driven market.

Highpoints of the event witnessed eight innovators including e-dokta, SolutionMed, Authentic QRTech, EveryFarmer, XTID Network, Afrinet Powertech, Beta life, and Xolani Health who took turns to pitch their solutions with Xolani Health, Evlvery Farmer and Betalife clinching the first, second and third positions respectively.

The winers were awarded the sum of $15,000 each, courtesy of JiCA.

The Demo Day also signaled the end of the first cohort and inauguration of the Second Cohort of the iHatch Startup Incubation Programme; with the key players hoping that the third cohort would be extended across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

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TECHDIGEST – In furtherance to strengthening the country’s digital economy by increasing contributions of ICT to GDP, as well as promoting indigenous content through patronizing indigenous IT products and services, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) met with the Lagos State Software and Innovation ecosystem stakeholders.

The event aimed at proffering solutions to challenges faced in the ecosystem had various critical players from multiple industries at the Bon Hotel in Lagos.

Kahisfu Inuwa, NITDA’s Director-General, represented by Engr. Salisu Kaka, the Agency’s Digital Economy Department Acting Director, expressed his pleasure at the turnout and appreciated all innovators present despite their busy schedules.

The DG, while giving his opening remark, stated that a symbiotic relationship between the Government and the players in the ecosystem was essential to achieve a collective desired result. “Whatever the government is out to achieve, the private sector should help the government achieve it, and whatever the private sector is set to achieve, the government should help and support,” he stated.

Inuwa disclosed that the engagement was geared at interacting with the stakeholders to identify challenges faced by the ecosystem and proffering solutions to them.

He emphasized the need to map out a partnership framework between the Agency and the ecosystem in addressing these identified challenges.

Speaking on the vast amount of human and natural resources amassed by the Nation, the NITDA DG urged stakeholders in the Software and Innovation ecosystem to harness and utilize these resources for optimal productivity.

He emphatically admonished all participants to freely critique constructively, challenge what needs to be challenged, and also give recommendations on how the challenges faced can be surmounted.

“We are here to listen to you, and I am positive that today will be a historical day where we co-create and re-identify our routes in bridging identified gaps and creating a bright future,” he concluded.

The Acting Coordinator of the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), Yakubu Musa, while intimating the ecosystem stakeholders on the realignment of the former specially purpose vehicles (SPVs), introduced the strategic intents of the ONDI as well as initiatives.

“The ONDI has been mandated to work with the ecosystem to design and implement strategic programs and initiatives that will drive and foster the ecosystem’s growth through interventions and addressing some of the issues being faced in the ecosystem,” he averred.

Musa, in his remark, stated that ‘strategic human capital development, ‘funding and support to the ecosystem,’ ‘research and insights,’ ‘monitoring and compliance,’ ‘partnerships’ and ‘implementation of guidelines’ are the focus areas in which the Agency is willing to collaborate with the stakeholders in creating a formidable and enviable ecosystem.

Mr. ChinenyeMba-Uzoukwu, the President of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), while giving a recap of contributions made by all heads of Industries, Groups, and Associations present, thanked the Agency for the insightful event but clamoured for a more effective communication and transparency.

Source : Techeconomy.ng

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TECHDIGEST – In the advent of the country’s digital transformation and to further foster collaborations with key players in the technological innovation ecosystem, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Inuwa CCIE has admonished local developers to key into the Agency’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan for an accelerated economic impact.

Inuwa made this call at the DevFest 2021, an event organized by the Lagos chapter of the Google Developer Groups at the Landmark Event Centre, Lagos State.

The DevFest, an annual event brings developers, tech-companies, and awesome speakers together to discuss Google’s emerging technologies such as Google Cloud Platform, Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Blockchain Technology, Machine Learning and Robotics.

The DG who was represented at the event by the Acting Head of the Agency’s subsidiary Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), Mr Yakubu Musa expressed his pleasure to have been invited to the DevFest event while describing the participants as forward-thinking developers and technology professionals.

“NITDA’s participation here today at the Africa’s largest developer community event is exciting and presents an ample opportunity to build on our initiatives to support the development of thriving ecosystem that will contribute to the growth of our Digital Economy”, the DG averred.

Inuwa who expressed his excitement at seeing and relating with the young but zealous participants stated that the young demography constitutes the highest percentage of the workforce in the country and their participation was reassuring that Nigeria is gunning to significantly impact technological advancements.

The DG after highlighting the seven strategic pillars of the Agency’s SRAP stated that the pillars required extensive collaborations for its full implementation and actualization.

He further disclosed that the SRAP has been tailored to proactively facilitate the transformation of the country into a sustainable Digital Economy but required an elaborate stakeholder collaboration in the implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) for a Digital Nigeria.

Inuwa added that developers globally are the backbone of any technology industry and therefore urged the participants to key into the SRAP to fully exploit all the potentials of their creative idea.

“Our understanding is that a highly skilled workforce motivated by a clear developmental vision and working with various stakeholders on properly aligned initiatives and processes, would be more likely to deliver on the mission and mandate of the Agency in line with the dictates of a digital economy”, the DG concluded.

Other speakers at the event include the Chief Marketing Officer of MTN, Adia Sowho, the Google Program Manager, Developer Ecosystem for Sub-saharan Africa, Mr Aniedi Udo-Obong, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Transformation, Mr Oswald Osaretin, the Special Adviser to the Lagos Government on Technology, Mr Tunbosun Alake, and many others.

By PRNigeria

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TECHDIGEST – The National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA) has sealed a partnership deal with MassChallenge to help entrepreneurs in Nigeria grow their brands and initiatives locally while having easy access to the global ecosystem.

This access to global ecosystem, according to NITDA will offer more support to the enterprenuers and ultimately, create jobs and wealth for Nigeria.

Speaking during a virtual meeting with the MassChallenge Global Partnership Manager, Kevin O Reilly to seal the partnership, NITDA Director General, Mal. Kashifu Inuwa, noted that the partnership is part of efforts of the Agency in implementing the promotion of indigenous content, a strategic pillar of the Agency’s Strategic Road Map and Action Plan 2021-2024.

Mal. Inuwa, who was represented at the meeting by the acting National Coordinator, Office for Nigerian Digital Innovations, Mr Yakubu Musa believes that MassChallenge Nigeria will help create and further promote a vibrant start up ecosystem, which can create lasting solutions to some of the economic challenges being faced currently.

“Innovation is a prominent way of creating prosperity for all and lifting countries out of poverty,” he assured.

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