Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has stated that his government has done several things to create an environment that is enabling technology-oriented companies and others to thrive in the state.
The governor stated this at the weekend while delivering a remark at the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Nigeria (RAIN) Summit 1.0, held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, with the theme “The Rain of Transformation Is Upon Us: CEOs Arise. ”
Speaking at the summit, which was attended by the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, Governor Makinde, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Information Communication Technology, Mr Bayo Akande, said the government had undertaken several efforts to make the state a conducive environment for technological innovations.
He added that his administration has focused on creating and nurturing a supportive ecosystem for tech-driven initiatives.
He said: “There are few things that the state government is doing such as creating an enabling environment for companies like RAIN to thrive.
“This is very important, and we have built institutes like Seyi Makinde Innovation and Technology Hub (SMITH), which helps train students in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.
“If you look at our tertiary institutions, we have brought in digital tools to unify our students’ information and management system, which enables companies like RAIN and others.
“Oyo State, as of a year ago, charged about N145 per linear meter. That’s in line with the NCC suggested rate. So, we are fully keyed into that to ease business costs for people trying to deliver infrastructure.”
Earlier, the convener of the summit, Dr Olusola Ayoola, said that the RAIN summit was convened to bring innovators, entrepreneurs and youths together, saying: “The entrepreneurs are the ones that will pursue the commercial aspect of learning and development of our society while the young people are the ones that represent the human capacity to develop such solutions.
Olusola emphasised the importance of technology as a transformative force, stating that “technology is not just a tool; it is the backbone of our progress.”
