Anambra State Government’s Executive Council delegation, led by His Excellency, Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, engaged in strategic discussions with the US Consul-General, William Stevens, and influential leaders from 26 renowned US high-tech companies at a groundbreaking meeting held over the weekend, at the US Consulate General Office in Lagos.
The distinguished Anambra Executive Council delegation included key figures such as Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, CFA, MD/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency; Uchechukwu Christian, State Commissioner for Industry; and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Innovation and Business Incubation, Ms. Chinwe Okoli.
The meeting aimed to explore avenues for collaboration, forge corporate alliances, and foster technological partnerships to accelerate Anambra State’s growth, and provided an opportunity to enhance strategic partnerships for economic development and the exchange of technologies, fostering shared prosperity between Anambra State, its tech companies, and their counterparts in the United States.
The Anambra State delegation and representatives of the US Tech firms during the meeting.
The Anambra delegation seized the opportunity to present the state’s tech developmental strides under Governor Soludo’s visionary leadership, as well as the strategic plan of the government to build an Anambra where the tech ecosystem thrives.
Highlighting the key initiatives driving tech revolutions within the state, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, MD/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency, underscored Mr. Governor’s commitment to establishing Anambra as a thriving hub for digital transformation and innovation.
The US high-tech companies participating in the discussions expressed eagerness to support Anambra State in diverse capacities, one of which includes robust support for the State’s Digital Health and Education Transformation initiatives pledged by Amazon Web Services and technical support and offer of substantial discounts for future devices purchased in the state by Dell and HP.
Managing Director, Anambra State ICT Agency, Mr. Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata ‘CFA’ (left) and others during the meeting
Meta also pledged to deepen their collaboration in Anambra through partners such as IGHub and Fate Foundation, while Google expressed enthusiasm to pilot several initiatives and explore opportunities to enhance the digital presence of SMEs in Anambra, thereby contributing to increased digital footprints.
Noteworthy, however, is the understanding that these commitments are preliminary and subject to further discussions and finetuning, by both the Anambra State Government and these tech industry giants, towards translating these commitments into impactful projects that will bring about lasting positive change for the people of Anambra.
The strategic alliance signals a significant milestone in Anambra State’s journey towards becoming a technology-driven hub and aligns seamlessly with Mr. Governor’s commitment to his vision to transform Anambra State into the digital and creative capital of Nigeria.
Governor Soludo (middle), the US Consul-General, William Stevens (1st on the Governor’s left) and other delegates from Anambra State and reps of US tech firms in a group photograph after the meeting
The partnerships forged with these leading industry giants, no doubt, are poised to catalyze innovation, economic growth, and societal development within the state.
In his remarks, Governor Soludo expressed gratitude for the willingness of the US companies to support Anambra’s technological advancement, emphasising the state’s commitment under his watch, to creating a conducive environment for collaboration and a thriving ecosystem for innovation.
L-R: US Consul-General, William Stevens and Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo CFR, during the groundbreaking meeting held over the weekend, at the US Consulate General in Lagos.
