The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr. Peter Jack has called on foreign and local investors to invest in technology solutions developed by Nigerian technology startups, insisting that such investment, will not only boost national development, but will also guarantee fast return on investment.
Jack who spoke at the 'Nigeria Day' during the 35th GITEX Technology Week in Dubai, United Arab Emirate, encouraged international investors to embrace investment opportunities in Nigeria in the area of Information Technology (IT). He explained that IT contribution to Nigeria GDP has doubled in the last five years from 4.5 per cent to 10 per cent, with signs of contributing more to the Nigerian economy.
Jack explained the need to invest in technology startups in Nigeria, adding that young technology startups from Nigeria were capable of disrupting the global technology space with technology solution developed from Nigeria.
"Our concern is to expose the young talent in Nigeria to opportunities that exist in the technology space. Starting from last year, Nigeria became the official country partner of GITEX and that year, we showcased five Nigerian technology startups to share their solutions to the test of the world. This year, we brought 14 technology startups and other established companies from Nigeria to showcase their solutions to the world," Jack said.
"Our concern is to expose the young talent in Nigeria to opportunities that exist in the technology space. Starting from last year, Nigeria became the official country partner of GITEX and that year, we showcased five Nigerian technology startups to share their solutions to the test of the world. This year, we brought 14 technology startups and other established companies from Nigeria to showcase their solutions to the world," Jack said.
According to him, "the Nigerian Pavilion is strategically located in such a way that it catches the attention of every investor that attended this year's GITEX in Dubai. We are giving opportunities for the technology startups to tell the world about the Nigerian technology solutions and how the solutions could address specific and organisational challenges."
We used the occasion of Nigeria Day in GITEX to sell the Nigerian brand and to woo investors to invest in the Nigerian technology market.
This year in Nigeria, NITDA also used the platform of DemoAfrica to showcase our technology startups and out of the 30 startups that participated in the DemoAfrica from across Africa, five finalists emerged and two out of the five were Nigerians. All the Angel investors that came from Europe and America, expressed interest to invest in the solutions of the startups, Jack said.
He added, "We are beginning to see more investors taking interest to invest in Nigeria and that was the reason we decided to showcase more of the startups in GITEX 2015 in Dubai.
Speaking at a panel session on smart city development, Jack told international audience that NITDA has a mandate to develop ICT park in Nigeria, and that as part of the mandate, it has engaged multi stakeholder partnerships to drive the initiative.
Speaking at a panel session on smart city development, Jack told international audience that NITDA has a mandate to develop ICT park in Nigeria, and that as part of the mandate, it has engaged multi stakeholder partnerships to drive the initiative.
"The Abuja Technology Village, which used to be an initiative of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and funded by the world bank, has now been taken a new look because NITDA showed interest in it by relocating the GSM village and some computer companies that were initially based in other parts of Abuja, to the Abuja Technology Village, in a bid to drive the smart city initiative."
In Lagos, we have a flagship investment, in partnership with the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), and the Information Technology Industry Association of Nigeria (ITAN) and the rest of the private sector like Chams Group, to drive smart city in Lagos, along the Lekki free trade zone. We are partnering 21 Century to drive the software application for the smart city and we have also established the office of ICT Innovation and Entrepreneurship to coordinate all of our activities towards driving smart city in Lagos, Jack said.
Also, the Chief Executive Officer of Teledom Group, Mr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, while addressing foreign investors, assured them of safety of their investments as well as quick return on their investments.
Also, the Chief Executive Officer of Teledom Group, Mr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, while addressing foreign investors, assured them of safety of their investments as well as quick return on their investments.
Commending the efforts of NITDA in attracting investment to Nigeria, Director, Overseas and Domestic Operations, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Ladi Katagum said: “Being the gateway of investment to Nigeria, NIPC will continue to support every effort to woe investors to Nigeria, through targeted investment."
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