Three tech-driven start-up groups in the South East has received seed funding from the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to help further their respective innovations.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the innovator groups were the three best technology entrepreneurs of the 10 groups that made presentations during the South East edition of Start-Up Friday (SUF) in Enugu.
Speaking at the event, the Director General of NITDA, Mr Isa Pantami, said that the event was designed to enrich the development processes of new tech-driven businesses through a ‘meet-up approach’.
Pantami, represented by the Director of Corporate Planning and Strategy, Mr Collins Agu, said that the event was aimed at promoting the diversification agenda of the Federal Government.
He said that the agency had successfully ignited the six regional ecosystems in the country, adding that the South East edition was the 12th of the SUF.
“As a result of our SUFs, start-up teams have been formed, mentor-mentee relationships have evolved and investments have been received by start-ups.
“Government start-up projects have been developed and huge awareness has been created,” he said.
The director-general said that the agency had developed the Nigeria Information Communication Technology (ICT) Innovation and Entrepreneurship Vision.
He said that the project which had been endorsed by President Muhammadu Buhari was aimed at turning the country into a technology hub in Africa.
He said that the project targeted building the digital economy of Nigeria through innovations and technology entrepreneurship.
“As part of NITDA’s rulemaking process, the draft framework for implementation of the project will undergo a stakeholder review in May and a stakeholder approach used to achieve the unifying vision,” Pantami said.
In her address, the National Coordinator, Office for ICT Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIIE), Mrs Amina Sambo-Magaji, said that the agency had through SUF identified start-ups proffering solutions to indigenous socioeconomic problems.
Sambo-Magaji also said that challenges facing start-ups and ongoing efforts to address such were also identified.
She said it had become necessary to create mentoring opportunities for start-ups, expanding infrastructure, provide access to funding and build capacity.
The coordinator said that building the ecosystem was a collective effort by key stakeholders, adding that NITDA was taking a facilitator role.
Sambo-Magaji said that the agency had designed a number of programmes to address the various challenges facing start-ups in the country.
“An immediate follow-up to this programme will be a five day intensive mentoring programme where start-ups will have a one-on-one consultation with subject matter experts on different aspects of their business,” Sambo-Magaji said.
NAN further reports that highlight of the event was pitching by 10 tech-driven start-ups for a chance to receive seed funding.
The first position, Green Age Technology received N200,000, the second winner, Inaga Transport Service won N150,000 while School Suite NG who came third got N100, 000.
The event was attended by representatives of the state governments in the zone. (NAN)