Tech stakeholders have advocated partnership and collaboration among players in Africa’s technology ecosystem to improve services and impacts on the continent and the global stage.
The experts, who spoke at the 3rd edition of DICE event, an Africa’s premier networking mixer for the digital and business economy, in Victoria Island, Lagos recently, noted that, the current ecosystem looks disjointed, hence, slowing the pace of growth, believing that, partnership will speed up growth in this critical tech industry.
Speaking at the event, the founder Of Beyond Limits And convener Of DICE, Dr. Juliet Ehimuan harped on collective efforts among players in the sector, disclosing that Digital Innovation and Creative Excellence(DICE) is an initiative designed to unite key players from the tech and business sectors to promote collaboration, spark innovation, and recognise outstanding achievements.
Reflecting on the theme of the event;’Scaling Right: From Market Entry to Market Leadership,’ Ehimuan emphasised the importance of bringing together innovators, startups, investors, business leaders, and policymakers to build an enabling environment that can drive accelerated growth.
DICE, she said, has attracted the attention of foreign missions, with consulates from the U.S., U.K., Netherlands, Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria and other countries in attendance, adding that, “DICE provides an opportunity to learn from other ecosystems, drive partnerships and collaborations.It creates global partnerships that can provide investment opportunities, cutting-edge technology solutions, and other opportunities to collaborate and drive growth. On emerging business trends, every business is now a digital business, with technology permeating every sector.”
Similarly, the Acting Consul General, U.S Consulate General, Lagos, JoEllen Gorg spoke about the strong commercial and investment ties between the United States and Nigeria, particularly, in key sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, and digital technology, stating that, Nigeria is one of only five African countries with which the U.S. has established such a partnership, highlighting the strategic importance of the relationship.
The partnership is designed to incorporate private sector perspectives in addressing trade barriers and enhancing economic exchange, ultimately fostering shared prosperity for both nations, Gorg said.
The Consul General of Switzerland in Nigeria, Frank Eggmann, during the Panel Discussion said, the Japa concept has roots in Switzerland, where citizens once migrated abroad to acquire skills, adding that, lacking natural resources, Switzerland relied on such movement and skill acquisition to grow and evolve into the nation it is today.
“Without Japa, there will be no Information Technology (IT), because it is one area of investment that our citizens that left returned to the country.If people go out of the country to learn some skills, they should come back to become innovative and Nigeria can learn from these experiences,” he said.
Noting that Nigeria was experiencing a growing sense of stability, which is crucial for effective planning, project execution, and attracting investment, he emphasised the value of education, pointing to Switzerland’s vocational training system, where more than 70 percent of young people participate in apprenticeships across various fields.
On his part, country director for Nigeria at the UK Department for Business and Trade, Mark Smithson, stated that, the United Kingdom and Nigeria are exploring strategic partnerships to stimulate economic growth, explaining that, these collaborations would center on innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment, citing Nigeria’s expanding economy and its strong potential for growth.
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