From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Anambra State marked a significant milestone in its journey towards technological advancement with the adoption of the Nigeria Startup Act (NSA).
The two-day ecosystem stakeholders engagement and validation session, held at the Solution Innovation District (SID) Center in Awka, brought together key stakeholders, government officials, and industry players to discuss the adoption of this groundbreaking legislation and validate pertinent issues that should be considered.
A statement from Ms Chinwe Okoli, the Special Adviser to Anambra State Governor on Innovation and Business Incubation, indicated that the event witnessed the presence of dignitaries such as the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim; Commissioners for Industry, Christian Udechukwu; Youth Development, Patrick Aghamba; Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs Chiamaka Nnake; Managing Director, Anambra State ICT Agency, Mr Fred Agbata (CFA); Managing Director of ANSIPPA, Mr. Mark Okoye; State Adoption Lead of the NSA, Mrs. Tracy Okoro; and other stakeholders from the academia, hub founders, startups, tech community, and others.
The Deputy Governor, Dr. Ibezim, in his remarks, reiterated the importance of embracing technology, stating that the Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, is a tech-driven leader, hence he emphasized the urgency for the State to embrace technology and become champions of positive disruption and leaders of the global technology revolution.
Dr. Ibezim highlighted the human capital development agenda of the Governor, which is to leapfrog students and youths to become Africa’s digital tribe that offer solutions to problems through technology.
He encouraged the youths to think big and unlock their great ideas, calling them the ‘gold of the state’, even as he appreciated Ms. Okoli for her passion and integrity in driving the innovation ecosystem in the state.
Ms Okoli, in her opening address, expressed joy at the enthusiasm of Anambra people towards technological advancement.
She said the Governor was committed to championing the ‘everything technology and technology everywhere’ agenda towards transforming Anambra to become the Silicon Valley of Africa.
“So the administration is intentional about building the technological capacity of Anambra people through various programmes of the SID, notably, Code Anambra, LevelUp Anambra, business incubation, business clinic for SMEs etc”.
Ms Okoli emphasized that adopting the NSA in the state would create the required enabling environment for startups to thrive in the State. “The new Act in Anambra will be expected to offer tax incentives, reduce regulatory burdens, and provide funding opportunities.”
She called for collaborations between academia, government, private sectors, investors, venture capitalists, hub founders, startups, and other stakeholders, to propel the state to the forefront of the global innovation ecosystem.
On her part, Mrs. Chiamaka Nnake, Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, emphasized that the adoption of NSA in the state would protect investors and investments while ensuring the sustainability of businesses over time.
The Managing Director of the Anambra State ICT Agency concurred that NSA adoption in the state will reflect the reality and comparative advantage of the state, noting that the state is known for commerce hence embracing e-commerce is essential.
He called on the ecosystem stakeholders to take collective action, stressing that the innovation require collaboration between the private sector and the government.
The State Adoption Lead of the NSA, Mrs. Tracy Okoro, said the Act was built on four pillars: funding, human development/capacity building, infrastructure (internet connectivity), and regulations.
She described the NSA as the co-creation of displacement and disruption enacted to establish the need for innovators and government to collaborate in creating a conducive environment for technology-enabled businesses to thrive.