Afolabi Imoukhuede, senior special assistant to the president on job creation, says the public-private partnership (PPP) will grow Nigeria‘s technology infrastructure.
Afolabi said this while answering questions from journalists on a youth empowerment program, labeled, “The Surge Entrepreneurship Summit,” in Abuja on Saturday.
The theme of the summit is “Discovering your potential”.
He said the government would continue to provide an enabling environment for businesses and innovations to flourish.
“So the first thing on the government side is the fact that now there is a ministry that focuses on ICT and the digital economy; we all have many states that are buying that; investments in their states for the creation of centers; in the creation of technological infrastructure.
“Now that’s something we have to do; But again, you also find that there are a lot of private sector investments – the amount of global funds, the investments that are coming into our tech space is huge.
“Ventures Park announced just two days ago the first closure of its fund; US $ 40 million, and these funds are used for investments; It is a pan-African fund; Nigeria, other African countries that we know of will benefit.
“Then, the technological infrastructure will grow between the public and private sectors and I dare say that in large part, the private sector.
“What is needed from the government is really a policy; And what I also saw recently is that there are many investors in technology that are working with the government to define the bill that they know will unlock and open that industry; so the technicians are working a lot. ”
According to him, it is the interrelation of the economy that creates jobs; therefore, the government will ensure that it continues to create an enabling environment.
He said the government created that environment for businesses, ideas and innovations to flourish through its various agencies and ministries.
“Of course, in the first term of this government, we also established the National Social Investment Program that we put to the test directly through the president at that time; The success of that allowed us to now have a new ministry, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, which will anchor all social investment.
“The reason for this is basically to be able to help stop the wave of poverty because interventions in the economy take time; while you do that, people are hungry.
“So we use social investment as a short-term measure to curb poverty; to stop unemployment through the N-Power program, the Conditional Cash Transfer, the School Meal Program.
“But beyond that, what we are also doing through the MSMEs Clinics that we do in the states is working with the state and private sector to create opportunities; enabling environment for young people and everyone to discover their potential. ”
The presidential aide said there were a lot of young people in the tech space; adding that in the last six years, technology has had a great increase and has helped create many job opportunities.
According to him, collaboration between the states, the Federal Government and the private sector is helping, but there is still much to do.
Another speaker at the event, Tosin Shoga, founder of Beat 79, said that communication is a key attribute of a leader.
“Be a good leader; In order to run a business successfully, communication is one of the vital ingredients for success.
“Our young people must learn to communicate; how to share information; how to share skills, “he said.
Source: NAN
