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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) said it will be strengthening its relationship with the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) to explore an additional window for partnership to open opportunity for international knowledge exchange, skill transfer to Nigerian youth leveraging the exposure and global network of the DWTC.
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According to the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the startup exchange programme is part of the agency’s strategy to promote a formidable startup ecosystem able to harness tremendous benefits from the global tech economy through engagements with international organisations such as the DWTC for the sustenance of the country’s digital economy.
He said this was in line with achieving the mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration towards rejuvenating the country’s tech startup ecosystem with a million tech jobs.
Already, NITDA has been proactively socialising with global tech giants by creating platforms for startups where ideas, programs and expertise can be shared, he told a delegation from the DWTC Friday in Abuja led by its Executive Vice President, Ms. Trixie Loh Yi Shan LohMirmand.
Abdullahi said the collaboration will be strategic to creating a vibrant tech ecosystem globally as the Big Techs in the world need the talents in Africa to survive and thrive.
“When you talk about innovation and talent in the digital economy, Africa is the next frontier in terms of our youthful population. Even the big techs are coming to Nigeria and Africa to open their engineering departments because they need talents to survive.”
Both organisations agreed to work on agreeable modalities that will make the talent exchange program become an important source of fresh perspectives and ideas; learn problem-solving skills; broaden the space to connect into an ever-widening circle of networks and opportunities for local innovative entrepreneurs so that they can prosper, solve shared challenges and have a secure future.
While commending the DWTC team for organising the yearly GITEX GLOBAL, Dubai, he urged them to consider hosting the next GITEX Africa in Nigeria as the inaugural held in Marrakech, Morocco 31 May to 2 June 2023.
He assured the visitors that the agency and other stakeholders were already gearing to showcase Nigeria at the GITEX GLOBAL slated for 16 -17 October 2023 in Dubai even as urged that for a speedy end to the current travel and visa challenges.
He also tasked the team with supporting in-country events organised or supported by the NITDA.
“Apparently, we are moving towards having strong conferences in Nigeria and we also need your participation. You should also come to Nigeria”, said Abdullahi.
According to him, Nigeria will be organising two major conferences in the year and they both offer an opportunity for the DWTC to leverage their existing relationship and become core partners at the events that include the annual Digital Nigeria conference and expo organised by NITDA to hold in October; and the Global Tech Africa holding November.in partnership with the USA Consulate (Nigeria).
“The doors are still open to partner with us because we already have Business Sweden, the German government and other European countries on board for the summit. So, you can also be a sponsor”, he urged.
Earlier, LohMirmand.thanked NITDA for its continuous support towards the GITEX GLOBA and She stated that Nigeria’s support has remained one of the reasons the conference has recorded tremendous success.
“On the back of your support and the global community, GITEX is now the largest tech show in the world”, she stated.
Giving assurances of their support to Nigeria which she says has the biggest market for startups, Lohmirman sought further collaboration with the agency by providing access to funding for startups in the country.
“This is why we are here to meet up with you as a strategic stakeholder in the Nigerian digital transformation strategy and see how we can extend our collaboration all together to give bigger opportunities and visibility to Nigerians to increase exportation as well as foreign direct investments”, she added.
Later while touring of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) and interacting with startups, she declared that “Nigeria possess the secret army that will rule the world global tech ecosystem.”
In the DWTC team were Vice President, Technology and Digital Cluster, Mr Bilal Al-Rais; Commercial Director, Abhishek Ganapathy; President/CEO, Pinnacle International Consulting LLC. Mr Akande Ojo; Director, and Pinnacle Global Business Services Ltd, and Mr. Olusegun Oruame.
Impressed by the passion displayed by young people at the NCAIR, she said the DWTC will push for a startup exchange programme between Nigeria and other countries including the UAE.
