By Olayinka OlawaleThe UK-Nigeria Tech Hub has launched a social impact accelerator programme to support the growth of the technology ecosystem in Nigeria, calling for application.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub is an initiative by the UK Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sports (DCMS).
Oyinkansola Akintola-Bello, the Country Director of the Hub, in a statement on Friday in Lagos also called for applications from interested applicants.
She said that selected applicants would undergo a bespoke 16-week in-person and virtual training from local tech hubs and business leaders.
Akintola-Bello said that the training was designed to equip applicants the expertise needed to scale their impact while remaining profitable.
She said: “The UK-Nigeria Tech Hub partnered with NINE, ‘insert about NINE’ to launch an impact accelerator, ‘Social Innovation Driven Entrepreneurship’ for social impact entrepreneurs.
“ Those selected will join the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub founder pipeline and gain access to resources and network.
“In addition, they will undergo a bespoke 16-week in-person and virtual training, from local tech hubs and business leaders, designed to equip them with the expertise needed to scale their impact while remaining profitable.
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She said: “The UK-Nigeria Tech Hub partnered with NINE, ‘insert about NINE’ to launch an impact accelerator, ‘Social Innovation Driven Entrepreneurship’ for social impact entrepreneurs.
“ Those selected will join the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub founder pipeline and gain access to resources and network.
“In addition, they will undergo a bespoke 16-week in-person and virtual training, from local tech hubs and business leaders, designed to equip them with the expertise needed to scale their impact while remaining profitable.
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Akintola-Bello said that applicants should visit https://sidenigeria.
com to register and get more information about the initiative.
According to her, the initiative will stimulate local digital economies.
Akintola-Bello added that the initiative would support inclusive and sustainable economic growth and jobs, build high-end digital skills, and forge innovation partnerships between Nigerian tech sectors and international businesses.
She said that in the build-up to the accelerator, NINE and Kaduna Business School had developed a challenge brief to identify market and sector-specific gaps in health, climate change, education and food security affecting underserved populations in six pilot states in Nigeria.
She said that the states included Edo, Adamawa, Kwara, Kaduna, Enugu and Osun.
The director said: “To become eligible for the programme, start-ups must be MVP-ready and be addressing challenges within the specific sectors, namely education, employment, food, health, climate and environmental change.
“Female start-up founders and innovators are highly encouraged to apply.
“This collaboration to scale social impact innovations underscores the UK’s commitment nurturing brilliance in underserved regions, ensuring that every idea, regardless of location has the resource and support required to scale.
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According to her, the UK- Nigeria Tech Hub is a UK funded initiative to support the growth of the technology ecosystem in Nigeria by promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the tech sector, leading to more trade and investment in the longer term.
Also speaking, Mr Bankole Oloruntoba, Chairman, NINE, said there was the need to stimulate emerging city-based innovation ecosystem in Nigeria, beyond Abuja and Lagos.
“This programme is focused on these emerging state economies to stimulate the entrepreneurial economies as well as create job possibilities using digital tech,” Oloruntoba said.
Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi
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