Nigeria’s diplomatic ties with Japan has opened opportunities for talented young Nigerians to enhance their capacities for startup businesses to create jobs in the conflict ravaged- north east part of the country.
The Japanese government has indicated interest to assist the Nigerians with modern technology that will improve their skills to add value to the nation’s economy.
Indications to this development emerged on Monday when the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) mapped out strategies to boost startup businesses in Nigeria’s North East region ravaged by insurgency.
This was the crux of the NITDA-JICA North East Startups Training (NEST) Programme in Abuja where 20 startups selected to participate were trained to accelerate their digital skills and expand their talent base.
Speaking during the ceremony, the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, said the post –COVID-19 realities have brought in new ways of doing business, adding that Nigerian young people must be assisted to key into the new changes to become competitive.
The NITDA boss, who was represented by acting coordinator, Office For Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), Yakubu Musa said, “Therefore, to remain competitive in this new business and economic environment, new strategies and practices are required to ensure that Nigeria remains competitive in the global digital economy.”
Inuwa said that in a bid to boost the digital economy sector, the minister of communications and digital economy, Professor Isa Pantami, developed the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for a digital Nigeria, stressing that the ICT sector has contributed immensely to lifting Nigeria out of recession and contributed 18.44 per cent to the nation’s GDP in 2022.
Inuwa commended the government of Japan, which through JICA has created the avenue for the impactful collaboration so far.
“JICA has again proved to be a dependable partner and totally aligned with our goal of consolidating Nigeria’s position as the leading entrepreneurial hub in Africa and in emerging global digital talent hub,” he said.
He explained that other programmes such as the Idea Hatch that is the ‘Ihatch startup’ incubation programme and the Ninja Acceleration programme have also paved the way for more youth to be brought in and consistently supporting the efforts to develop and expand the number of innovation driven enterprises in Nigeria.
The NITDA boss admonished the participating startups to take full advantage of the knowledge and insights the programme will offer to transform and reposition their businesses.
“The outcome of this programme will provide you with the resources and skills required to move your businesses to higher levels and become active players within the Nigerian and global tech and innovation ecosystem,” he told the youth.
Also speaking, the Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, Matsunaga Kazuyoshi said his country is ready to improve internet access in the north Eastern states.
The envoy added that Japan will support all the selected startups which are working on the frontline in the north-east to enable them to use the digital economy to address many of the problems in the region.
He said, “Government of Japan shared the same aspiration with the startup entrepreneurs operating in the north-east,” adding that his country will help the youth with more Japanese technology to excel in their pursuit, especially access to high speed internet.
Speaking to our correspondent, Khalid Abdullahi Yero, the CEO of Dopats Technologies, one of the participating startups, said the programme is useful because it is an opportunity to learn from experts in the industry as well as networking with the best mind.
However, an expert told our correspondent that while it was great to boost the startups in the north-east, the nation must also create an enabling ecosystem that will guarantee the sustainability of this project and adequately fund the project otherwise it might not meet its full potential.
