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NITDA Engages Imo State ICT Stakeholders on Digitization, Entrepreneurship Evolution

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In its continuous drive towards fostering national development through efficient Information Technology (IT) governance in Nigeria, coupled with the growing need of the Digital Economy Ecosystem, the National Information Technology Agency (NITDA) in collaboration with Office of Digital Economy and e–Governance, Imo State Government has organised ICT Stakeholders’ Engagement Forum in Owerri, Imo State.

The engagement amongst other objectives is to establish sustainable collaborations and consistent channels for feedback and the exchange of ideas as well as share with stakeholders NITDA’s vision, regulatory instruments for national development, and the journey so far.

Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, Director-General of NITDA, in his opening speech challenged participants to use the meeting as a veritable platform to pool knowledge, experience, expertise, and co-create solutions, articulate strategies, and extend NITDA’s services to all stakeholders, especially at the grassroots.

Inuwa who was represented by the Director, Zonal Offices Directorate, Mr Babajide Ajayi noted that strategic actions are being taken in the implementation of critical areas of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS).

NDEPS, the DG explained is a strategic document approved by the Federal Executive Council which focuses on eight pillars that are critical to the development of the Digital Economy.

He further enumerated the pillars to include; Developmental Regulation, Digital Literacy and Skills, Solid Infrastructure, Service Infrastructure, Digital Services Development and Promotion, Digital Society and Emerging Technologies, Soft Infrastructure, and Indigenous Content Development and Adoption.

“Throughout the twenty-one-year journey, we have had to look continuously at our mandate, reset our vision, and invigorate our mission. We have moved from being a highly centralised organisation to a functionally decentralised Institution.

“Our aspiration is to be an organisation closer to stakeholders. We are also increasingly becoming a process-driven, data-dependent, and results-oriented organisation”, Inuwa stressed.

He further said, “the Agency’s strategies and choices are pursued while always ensuring financial prudence – even in the most turbulent times and ensuring that we meet the objectives of a national IT Governance, foremost of which is delivering value to our stakeholders”.

While emphasising the fact that the stakeholders come first, Inuwa assured everyone that NITDA’s goal is to deliver value to them which underscores the importance of the engagement to get clarity on their perspectives, aspirations, and needs.

“Some of the people-oriented programmes we have implemented in consultation with stakeholders and under the supervision of our parent Ministry, the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, include the National Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture (NAVSA), the National Adopted School for Smart Education (NASSE), Digital Literacy Capacity Training for Persons Living with Disabilities, support for ICT Innovation Hubs, building of Community IT Centres, development of State IT policies, and a host of other activities”.

“However, there is always the need to re-strategise in the face of new challenges and opportunities that the Digital Economy ecosystem affords. Therefore, the NITDA Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP), 2021-2024, has been conceived to provide direction for the Organisation and a sound platform for mitigating the foreseen and unforeseen threats to the Digital Economy ecosystem”, the DG maintained.

The NITDA Boss was hopeful that the event and indeed the entire Stakeholders’ engagement programme across the country will provide fresh understanding and ideas on how NITDA can deliver more impactful values to Nigerians.

In his Keynote address, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodima, represented by the Hon Commissioner, Imo State Ministry of Digital Economy and e-Government, Dr. Chimezie Amadi commended NITDA for organising the meeting.

He assured that the State government must further strengthen the foundation of digital infrastructure to broaden access to new opportunities, building an innovation ecosystem, enhancing workforce quality, and instituting social protection frameworks.

The programme with theme “Creating Opportunities, Breaking Boundaries: Towards Digitisation and Entrepreneurial Evolution” was attended by 81 stakeholders drawn from 3 states in the Southeast.

Participants ranged from ICT experts, government representatives, academia, startup ecosystems, ICT associations, technology solution providers, Non–Governmental Organisations (NGOs), and relevant stakeholders in the Digital Economy Sector.

The event featured presentations by NITDA officials, keynote addresses, interactive sessions and several goodwill messages from participants.

 


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AXA Mansard Empowers Female SMEs with Financial, Digital Skills

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AXA Mansard, a member of AXA has empowered 200 female Small and Medium Enterprises with financial literacy and digital business skills.

In collaboration with SME 100 Africa, the two-day training, which was held in Lagos, is part of AXA’s lined-up programmes to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day.

Speaking, Olusesan Ogunyooye, Head of Marketing AXA Mansard, said the training was aimed to empower female SME owners with skills to improve business output and position them for the increasing economic opportunities available in an increasingly digital marketplace.

Ogunyooye noted that the move was in line with AXA Mansard’s sustainability agenda, explaining that the company was convinced that support for women through its inclusive protection programmes was pivotal to its purpose of acting for human progress by protecting what matters and its mission of moving from being a payer to a partner.

He further said that focusing on digital skills was important because the company realised the importance of digital skills to the growth of the SME sector in Nigeria and wants to ensure that women were empowered enough to be a consequential part of that growth.

“It’s almost trite to say that SMEs are the engine for economic growth, especially in developing countries like Nigeria, where over 45 million adults are business owners. What needs to be continually discussed is how Nigeria is going to unlock that potential for economic development and how much of that potential will be unlocked by women and for women.”

“For us at AXA Mansard, we are aware that digital will play a major role in unlocking these current opportunities and Nigeria’s economic future. So, to ensure that women are equally represented in unlocking these future potentials, that’s why we have collaborated with SME 100 Africa to support them in developing the required skills”.

“Our choice of digital and financial literacy skills is deliberate. We understand the power of the duo. We understand that helping these SMEs with the skills to attract more customers will be a faster means to empower them.

“We see that they have amazing products and services, but they need to understand how to attract value for themselves by attracting the right customers, and you will agree with me that virtually all customer segments are online in one way or another today.

“So, if we can empower them with digital business skills, we would have helped them with the heavy lifting of trying to find and attract customers”. Ogunyooye explained.

According to him, AXA Mansard believes that for the world to experience progress truly, there must be an equitable distribution of creation and access to opportunities for men and women. This quest for balance informed the SHE for Shield initiative, a women-centred inclusive protection programme of AXA Mansard.

SHE for Shield is a group of initiatives designed for the Nigerian woman. The goal is to see them grow, add value, and help them mitigate risks at every step.

According to the company, research has found that access to health care is one of the most important things to Nigerian women, regardless of their economic segment. They desire to be financially independent, secure, and respected in the community.

 


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IFC Invests in New 4DX Ventures Fund to Support Tech Startups in Africa

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IFC is investing $10.5 million in a new fund by 4DX Ventures, a New York-based venture capital firm focused on supporting early-stage African technology companies across a broad set of sectors, including fintech, e-commerce, edtech, climate tech, and health tech.

IFC’s investment in 4DX Ventures Fund III will come from IFC’s $225 million venture capital platform, which was launched last year to strengthen emerging VC ecosystems and invest in early-stage companies in Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Pakistan.

Africa is among the regions least served by venture capital, receiving just 2% of global venture deal volume in the third quarter of 2023. Access to capital on the continent has been further exacerbated by a slowdown in global venture capital investment.

Tech ecosystems are nascent, or even nonexistent, outside of more established markets such as Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa.

“IFC and 4DX Ventures share the commitment to supporting tech entrepreneurs with innovations that will help Africa leapfrog in critical areas such as climate, health care, fintech, e-commerce, and education,” said Walter Baddoo, Co-Founder and General Partner of 4DX Ventures.

“We look forward to partnering with IFC to help promising tech startups build transformative businesses and realize sustainable development impact on the continent.”

4DX’s new fund will invest in companies with tech solutions that can improve productivity, efficiency and competitiveness across Africa. The firm’s first two funds invested in companies such as Egypt-based e-commerce platform MaxAB, an IFC portfolio company; Ghana-based health tech firm mPharma; and Kenya-based B2B e-commerce platform Wasoko, formerly known as Sokowatch.

“By supporting the development of tech ecosystems in emerging markets, IFC’s venture capital platform aims to improve access to key services, boost business competitiveness, and promote job creation through digital transformation,” said Mohamed Gouled, Vice President of Industries at IFC.

“Our investment in venture funds such as 4DX Ventures will help African entrepreneurs access more financing and resources they need to scale tech innovations and bolster sustainable growth across the continent.

In addition to providing capital, IFC will work with 4DX Ventures to implement their environmental and social management system.


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Climate Action Africa Announces CAAF24

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Climate Action Africa (CAA) has announced the inaugural convening of the Climate Action Africa Forum (CAAF24). This international event brings together stakeholders from across the world who drive thought leadership insights on how to encourage collaboration, catalyse actionable solutions, and urge governments, businesses, and individuals to invest in climate-smart initiatives.

The climate-focused event was announced at last week’s Friday international press conference held at the prestigious Transcorp Hilton Abuja. This marks a significant milestone in Africa’s journey towards a sustainable future. A precursor to the upcoming Climate Action Africa Forum scheduled for June 17-19, 2024, at the Landmark Events Centre in Lagos, Nigeria, this press conference brought together leaders, experts, and stakeholders from across the globe. The gathering’s main goal was to discuss the urgent need for sustainable development plans and climate-smart investments in Africa.

Framed by the theme “Green Economies, Brighter Futures: Innovating and Investing in Africa’s Climate-Smart Development,” the international press conference became a vibrant platform for insightful discussions, strategic collaborations, and impactful engagements. It convened an esteemed gathering of leaders, experts, and stakeholders to explore solutions for Africa’s pressing environmental challenges.

The event kicked off with a welcome address by the Executive Director and Co-founder of Climate Action Africa, Grace Mbah, who having announced the commencement of event registration as April 2nd, 2024, made the call for tech-driven solutions and innovations in the fields of emissions reduction, transportation, agriculture, energy, circularity and building and construction to apply to participate in the deal room.

Providing insights to attendees on how innovative approaches and collaborative action is at the heart of CAAF24, she extended an opportunity to like minded organisations who would like to partner by hosting side events and finally, a call for volunteers from across the continent.

“It’s no news that the world stands at a critical juncture, where decisive action is imperative to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change. Against this backdrop, CAAF24 serves as a pivotal platform for key stakeholders to engage in meaningful discourse, and forge collaborative pathways towards a greener, more sustainable future.

The essence of CAAF lies in its commitment to shaping a climate-resilient Africa through co-creation, innovation, and sustainable investment. Through this initiative, we aim to catalyse solutions that enhance the sustainability and prosperity of the continent’s natural resources, people, and economies,” Grace stated.

During the International Press Conference, distinguished speakers and thought leaders emphasised the urgent need for collective action in tackling Africa’s climate challenges.

They delved into critical topics like renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, biodiversity conservation, and climate finance, offering practical insights and inspiring initiatives.

Jummai Vandu, representing the National Council on Climate Change, expressed optimism about the initiative’s outcomes. “Today’s discussions,” she said, “underscore the urgency of our collective efforts to combat climate change. The National Council believes working together is key to driving meaningful action and creating a more sustainable future for Africa and beyond.”

With the International Press Conference complete, the stage is set for CAAF24. Stakeholders will converge to translate ideas into action, forge partnerships, and drive progress towards a climate-smart Africa.

Mrs. Taiwo Fashipe, Head of Media for the Presidential CNG Initiative (P-CNGi), echoed similar sentiments, stating: “The theme of this year’s Climate Action Africa Forum aligns with our goals, vision, and mission at the Presidential CNG Initiative.

“We look forward to using this platform to advance interest in and investment in greener and cleaner energy sources like CNG.”

Standing at a crucial juncture in Africa’s quest for sustainable development, CAAF24, convened by Climate Action Africa in partnership with the National Council on Climate Change, Channels Media Group, and Founder Institute, emerges as a beacon.

It brings together the private and public sectors, guiding the continent towards a future marked by resilience, prosperity, and environmental stewardship.

 


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