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Art of Technology Lagos 3.0: LASG, Eko Innovation Centre Chart Course For Startup Funding, Empowerment of Tech Entrepreneurs

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As Pantami, Others Point out Imperatives of Startup Bill

In a bid to address one of the critical challenges of businesses, especially among startups, the Lagos government and Eko Innovation Centre including other experts at the Art Of Technology Lagos 3.0 held recently in Lagos have offered tips on how start-ups can get funds. They also used the platform to empower innovative Tech Entrepreneurs and young innovators with equity investment and other support initiatives to thrive in the business space.

The two-day hybrid conference curated by Eko Innovation Centre held 3rd and 4th of December, 2021 at the Oriental Hotel Victoria Island, had as its theme “Funding and a Connected Lagos”. In attendance were the crème de la crème in government and other experts in the technology ecosystem who spoke on investment readiness, intellectual property, startup bills and other regulations, and policy formulations for tech startups in the tech ecosystem.

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Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, Nigeria’s Minister of Communication and Digital Economy who spoke at the event via a virtual platform commended Lagos and Eko Innovation Centre for making the state the Silicon Valley of Africa stating that it would continue to support the state in its quest to achieve much more.

He explained further that technology deployment is changing the world, stating that the ICT sector was instrumental for the country’s exit from recession. He, therefore, urged startups to deploy technology to ease their operations in the interest of growing their business remarkably

In the same vein, he said the government is determined to support the growth of startups and businesses especially with the many government agencies working closely to fund and grow the business landscape.

Also, he pointed that the country has the highest number of venture capitalists and pointed that the Startup bill currently up for consideration by the federal Executive council, would further help accelerate the growth of Startups when made to the law.

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Noteworthy, asides from Pantami, some of the experts at the conference stated that they are optimistic that the bill when it becomes a law will contribute to the creation of an enabling environment for growth, attraction, and protection of investment in tech startups.

On his part, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Executive Governor, Lagos State said that his administration has been deliberate about deploying technology to make governance seamless and has been funding the technology space in line with its smart city agenda which has further helped the state to be the 5th largest economy in Africa.

He added that from traffic management to security it is deploying technology to make the state better and as regards supporting businesses with funding, he explained that the Lagos State Science Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC) raised the bar in assisting the state in achieving its smart city agenda of making Lagos a 21st-century economy to transit to a smart city through the application of science and information technology and by also providing grants to innovators.

Art of Technology (AOT) Lagos is the largest tech conference in Nigeria which brings together key stakeholders from the public and private sector to discuss policies and initiatives that will pave way for the evolution of a smarter, digital, efficient, and competitive Lagos.

The event also had experts in the technology space, business, and financial sector. Some of the keynote speakers who dissected the theme and subthemes are Ola Williams, Country Manager, Microsoft; Dr. Andrew S. Nevin, Financial Services Leader & Chief Economist (PWC, NG); Olukayode Pitan, MD/CEO, Bank of Industry; Kola Aina, Founder, Ventures Platform; Tomi Davies, Collaborator-In-Chief, TVC Labs; and Aishah N. Ahmad, Deputy Governor, Financial Systems Stability Directorate, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) among other experts who will be speaking during panel sessions.

Some of the decisions from deliberations are calls for more government and private support for startups through funding, friendly policies, leveraging technology, adopting sustainability in business, taking the opportunity of sectors they belong among others.

Meanwhile, in a segment of the event titled Collaborate Lagos, 8 startups pitched their products for a chance to receive up to $100k in equity investment from Eko innovation Centre. Collaborate Lagos is an initiative that seeks to give visibility to the best startups in Lagos. The selected startups pitched to 8 judges, 50 VCs, and a global audience.

Recall earlier before the event, the Curator of Art of Technology Lagos 3.0 and Founder of Eko Innovation Centre, Mr. Victor Gbenga Afolabi, had reported that “Over the years, we get blown away by the number of startup entries for Collaborate Lagos. This year we had 168 top quality applications and we are lucky to have the best minds to help with the difficult task of selections. The startups pitching this year are Drugstore.ng, ThinkBikes, Healthstack, Eko Carbon Exchange, Retailar, Vinsighte, EonsFleet and SabiTeach. These Creative ideas are designed to address local issues and eye global expansion. Good luck to the selected few”

However, after the pitching, the judges three of the startup emerged winners. SabiTeach clinched third place presented N250,000, Retailar emerged second with 500,000 and Vinsighte clinched the first position with N1,000,000. Also, beneficiaries of LASRIC grant were also presented with cheques at the event.

Afolabi said the African startup ecosystem has witnessed tremendous growth over the last few years. Albert, a lot of startups in Africa still finds it difficult to secure funds for their businesses which is the reason for the two-day conference. “Our conference had made decisions that have impacted Lagos State in Irreversible ways.”

The two-day summit was building on the success of last year’s event which recorded a large turnout both physical and virtual, adding that its impact has been a phenomenon.

He recalled that the maiden edition was held in 2019 and recorded over 2,000 participants in attendance, noting that one of the key successes was the launch of the Lagos Innovation Masterplan which has continued to guide the Lagos state government in achieving its SMART City agenda.

Also, the second edition hosted about 8,700 participants and witnessed the launch of Startup Lagos as well as Eko Open-source projects, with key participation from over 30 countries worldwide.

Noteworthy, Governor Sanwo-Olu raised the bar for government participation in Tech with a seed funding of 250million Naira to grow the Lagos Tech community at the maiden edition of AoT Lagos.

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ICT Stakeholders Advocate Investment In Young Girls

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Stakeholders that gathered for the 12th edition of the celebration of the International Girls in ICT Campaign organised by eBusiness Life Communication Limited in Lagos last Thursday, have called on parents and corporates to make concerted efforts at investing in the young girls to enable them prepare for tech careers of the future.

In his keynote address at the event, the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida charged the girls to follow evolving trends in the world of technology and pursue excellence in order to make a difference in the workforce of the future.

Dr. Maida, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Head Corporate Communication, NCC, Nnenna Ukoha noted that there will always be gaps to be filled in the ICT field.

According to the NCC Boss, the significance of encouraging young girls and women to consider careers in ICT stems from the fact that the gender represents half of the global population, and it will only be fair and equitable to seek their views and input in standards that are essential to the shaping of technology.

Furthermore, he noted that encouraging these girls is an investment in the future of the nation.

“The ICT sector offers exciting and well-paid career opportunities; from software development to data analysis, cybersecurity to artificial intelligence, the opportunities are endless. By encouraging more girls and women to enter the ICT field, we can help bridge the digital divide and ensure that everyone has equal access to the opportunities of the digital age,” Maida opined.

He further encouraged young women to latch onto the provisions of Federal Government’s 3MTT initiative, which seeks to provide  and empower young Nigerians with technology career opportunities in AI/Machine Learning; Data Analysis & Visualisation; User Interface (UI), User Design (UX) among others.

In a virtual message from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the Secretary General, Doreen Bogdan-Martin explained that the 2024 theme, “Leadership”, speaks to more than holding a job title or position of power, but about harnessing the power of ideas and innovation, and the ability to navigate change with confidence even as a student.

“Right now, just 21% of all ICT Ministers are women, and only 32 out of 165 ICT regulators are led by a woman.  In the highest positions of government, gender equality will not be reached for another 130 years. In the private sector women in technologists occupy less than a third of positions and face a pay gap of up to 21%. Just 22% of AI workers globally are women.  And the hiring rate of women in tech leadership roles has stalled. When we look at C-Suite roles in STEM, just 1 in 8 is held by a woman.”

She called for investment in girl education, mentorship and skill-building opportunities so they can not only succeed, but thrive as digital trailblazers.

Manager, South-West Zonal office, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mrs. Jumoke Alaka, who represented the Director General of the Agency, Dr. Inuwa Abdulahi, highlighted the numerous opportunities inherent in the ICT sector, and implored the young girls to stay away from negative sides of technology as a means of impacting the society positively.  She encouraged them to also read hard copy materials as a means of retaining knowledge and referencing. She encouraged them to read more of hard copy materials to avoid distractions and easy switch to unnecessary Apps that come with reading from gadgets.

Mrs. Alaka also charged parents to guide their children on the beneficial use of ICT gadgets.

While taking the young girls on an insightful tech-talk session, Digital Strategist and Founder, ‘MissTechy’ – Nigeria’s top Female Tech Blog and video channel, Oluwatobi Ayeni, charged them to be inquisitive and explore ICT. This, she noted, will help them develop interest that will culminate into driving initiatives and filling gaps in technology.

CEO, MyHealthHub, Dr. (Mrs.) Ochuko Ibe while taking the girls on a health talk, challenged them to look at situations around them and seek ways of plugging gaps with technology. She referenced her journey through different fields and how she developed a passion for technology and now uses it to bridge medical gap in rural and underserved areas.

In her welcome address, Convener, Girls-In-ICT/CEO, e-Business Life Communication Limited, Mrs. Ufuoma Emuophedaro, citing ITU’s estimate of skills shortfall of over two million jobs in the ICT sector within the next five years, said girls and young women who learn coding, apps development and computer science will not only be well-placed for a successful career in the ICT sector, but ICT skills that are rapidly becoming a strong advantage for students in just about any other field they might choose to pursue. “Girls with ICT skills can expect to earn good salaries and enjoy plenty of career opportunities.

Girls in ICT Day reminds us that ICTs help to improve the lives of people everywhere – through better health care, better environmental management, better communications, and better educational systems that transform the way children and adults learn.”

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 ICT Stakeholders Advocate Investment In Young Girls

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Stakeholders that gathered for the 12th edition of the celebration of the International Girls in ICT Campaign organised by eBusiness Life Communication Limited in Lagos last Thursday, have called on parents and corporates to make concerted efforts at investing in the young girls to enable them prepare for tech careers of the future.

In his keynote address at the event, the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida charged the girls to follow evolving trends in the world of technology and pursue excellence in order to make a difference in the workforce of the future. Dr. Maida, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Head Corporate Communication, NCC, Nnenna Ukoha noted that there will always be gaps to be filled in the ICT field.

According to the NCC Boss, the significance of encouraging young girls and women to consider careers in ICT stems from the fact that the gender represents half of the global population, and it will only be fair and equitable to seek their views and input in standards that are essential to the shaping of technology.

Furthermore, he noted that encouraging these girls is an investment in the future of the nation. “The ICT sector offers exciting and well-paid career opportunities; from software development to data analysis, cybersecurity to artificial intelligence, the opportunities are endless. By encouraging more girls and women to enter the ICT field, we can help bridge the digital divide and ensure that everyone has equal access to the opportunities of the digital age,” Maida opined.

He further encouraged young women to latch onto the provisions of Federal Government’s 3MTT initiative, which seeks to provide  and empower young Nigerians with technology career opportunities in AI/Machine Learning; Data Analysis & Visualisation; User Interface (UI), User Design (UX) among others.

In a virtual message from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the Secretary General, Doreen Bogdan-Martin explained that the 2024 theme, “Leadership”, speaks to more than holding a job title or position of power, but about harnessing the power of ideas and innovation, and the ability to navigate change with confidence even as a student.

“Right now, just 21% of all ICT Ministers are women, and only 32 out of 165 ICT regulators are led by a woman.  In the highest positions of government, gender equality will not be reached for another 130 years. In the private sector women in technologists occupy less than a third of positions and face a pay gap of up to 21%. Just 22% of AI workers globally are women.  And the hiring rate of women in tech leadership roles has stalled. When we look at C-Suite roles in STEM, just 1 in 8 is held by a woman.” She called for investment in girl education, mentorship and skill-building opportunities so they can not only succeed, but thrive as digital trailblazers.

Manager, South-West Zonal office, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mrs. Jumoke Alaka, who represented the Director General of the Agency, Dr. Inuwa Abdulahi, highlighted the numerous opportunities inherent in the ICT sector, and implored the young girls to stay away from negative sides of technology as a means of impacting the society positively.  She encouraged them to also read hard copy materials as a means of retaining knowledge and referencing. She encouraged them to read more of hard copy materials to avoid distractions and easy switch to unnecessary Apps that come with reading from gadgets.

Mrs. Alaka also charged parents to guide their children on the beneficial use of ICT gadgets. While taking the young girls on an insightful tech-talk session, Digital Strategist and Founder, ‘MissTechy’ – Nigeria’s top Female Tech Blog and video channel, Oluwatobi Ayeni, charged them to be inquisitive and explore ICT. This, she noted, will help them develop interest that will culminate into driving initiatives and filling gaps in technology.

CEO, MyHealthHub, Dr. (Mrs.) Ochuko Ibe while taking the girls on a health talk, challenged them to look at situations around them and seek ways of plugging gaps with technology. She referenced her journey through different fields and how she developed a passion for technology and now uses it to bridge medical gap in rural and underserved areas.

In her welcome address, Convener, Girls-In-ICT/CEO, e-Business Life Communication Limited, Mrs. Ufuoma Emuophedaro, citing ITU’s estimate of skills shortfall of over two million jobs in the ICT sector within the next five years, said girls and young women who learn coding, apps development and computer science will not only be well-placed for a successful career in the ICT sector, but ICT skills that are rapidly becoming a strong advantage for students in just about any other field they might choose to pursue. “Girls with ICT skills can expect to earn good salaries and enjoy plenty of career opportunities. Girls in ICT Day reminds us that ICTs help to improve the lives of people everywhere – through better health care, better environmental management, better communications, and better educational systems that transform the way children and adults learn.”

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Zarttalent Foundation to Empower Covenant University Students with Tech Skills

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Zarttalent, a foundation focused on driving technological innovation among Nigerian youths has partnered with Covenant University for the 2024 Career Fair, held on Friday, May 10, 2024, at the university’s campus located on Idiroko Road, Ota, Ogun State.

Themed “Limitless Future,” the career fair brought together seasoned professionals, and innovative educators to inspire the next generation of industry leaders. Through interactive workshops, insightful panel discussions, and networking opportunities, students gained invaluable insights into the ever-evolving technology landscape.

The partnership between Zarttalent Foundation and Covenant University underscores a shared vision to empower the final year, post-graduates and the I.T eligible students with practical knowledge and experiences that will serve as a springboard for their careers.

Expressing his enthusiasm about the impact of the partnership on the students, The Chief Executive Officer, Zarttalent Foundation, Nelson T. Ajulo said, “At Zarttalent Foundation, we believe in the transformative power of education and technology. Our partnership with Covenant University for the 2024 Career Fair reflects our dedication to equipping students with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in today’s fast-paced world.

By embracing the theme of ‘Limitless Future,’ we are empowering students to dream big, think outside the box, and confidently pursue their passions. Together with Covenant University, we’re paving the way for a future with endless possibilities.”

Recall that in the first quarter of 2024, the foundation initiated partnerships with Nigerian universities, commencing with a well-received event at Afe Babalola University in Ekiti State. This event attracted over 100 students exposed to tech courses and workshops created by the Zarttalent Academy.

2022 report by the Nigerian Information Technology Development Agency on the IT talent gap assessment in Nigeria suggested that there is a big gap between what the Universities deliver in terms of IT knowledge compared to what the alternative technology organisations deliver. Consequently, Zartaalent aims to address this gap by introducing students to advanced tech courses to enhance their skills.

The 2024 Career Fair marks the beginning of an exciting journey for students at Covenant University, as they embark on a path filled with endless opportunities and boundless potential. Through innovative initiatives and strategic partnerships, Zarttalent Foundation and Covenant University are poised to shape the future of technology and empower the leaders of tomorrow.

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