Soludo injects N80m into 80 start-ups, targets Anambra’s tech economy

From Fred Ezeh, Abuja

Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has injected N80 million into 80 startups as part of a broader strategy to position the state as a leading technology and innovation hub in Nigeria.

The disbursement was announced at the Anambra Startup Investment and Technology Skills Graduation Ceremony held at the Banquet Hall of the Light House, Awka, where the state government also graduated 400 technology professionals trained in robotics and network engineering.

The event, organised by the Solution Innovation District (SID), highlighted the Soludo administration’s efforts to build a technology-driven economy through investments in digital skills, entrepreneurship and broadband infrastructure.

The ceremony attracted government officials, lawmakers, university representatives, technology firms, investors and members of the state’s innovation ecosystem, many of whom described the initiative as a significant step towards making Anambra a leading destination for technology and entrepreneurship in Nigeria.

The event underscored Anambra’s push to build a technology-driven economy through a combination of startup financing, digital skills development and broadband infrastructure expansion, key pillars of the Soludo administration’s vision of transforming the state into Africa’s Silicon Valley.

The startup-funding programme forms part of Solution Innovation District (SID) efforts to nurture innovation-driven businesses capable of contributing to economic growth and attracting investment to the state.

SID disclosed that each of the 80 start-ups that completed the district’s 12-week incubation programme received N1 million each, amounting to a total disbursement of N80 million.

Speaking at the event, Governor Soludo said the investment was part of his administration’s commitment to transforming Anambra into Africa’s Silicon Valley and creating opportunities for young people in the digital economy.

He said: “Our administration is committed to transforming Anambra into Africa’s Silicon Valley. This vision is driven not by politics but by a clear and strategic imperative to secure the future of our state and its people.”

She noted that the state’s startup ecosystem has continued to expand, with more than 111 startups benefiting from various incubation and acceleration programmes under SID.