Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has announced that the Nigerian federal government has set up a $609 million fund for tech entrepreneurs in Nigeria for the next four years.
Speaking at the 2023 Nordic Nigeria Connect event in Lagos, Dr. Tijani stated that telecommunication is the biggest contributor of services in Nigeria, and that the country needs to build partnerships that would help its citizens achieve that.
“In a connected world, our role is to build relationships with countries, organisation with innovation and a body of knowledge. Nigeria doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel in what is already known in other countries but we can leverage the opportunity.” Dr. Tijuani added.
The minister said that Nigerians should create the future that they want to see, and that both the government and private sectors were responsible for achieving a better future. He added that while Nigerians could criticise the government to make it perform better, they “should criticise with facts and evidence to let the government be better.”
In March, former Nigerian vice president Yemi Osinbajo initiated a programme worth $600 million for young Nigerians in the tech and creative sectors. He urged African governments and the private sector to increase their support for innovation in the continent.