From Cyriacus Nnaji, Lagos
Lucky young Nigerians engaged in research and innovative digital entrepreneurship, are set to share a whopping N5million courtesy of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
This was made known by the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (EVC), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta in his speech on December 6, 2021 at the NCC Annual ICT Innovation/Exhibition holding at Digital Bridge Institute Lagos Campus.
The event which would run between December 6th and 8th, 2021, has the theme “Promoting Sustainable Digital Service Development in Nigeria.”
Danbatta who was represented by Kelechi Nwankwor, Head, Research and Development of NCC, stated that at the end of the competition the overall winner would go home with the sum of N2.5 million; the first runner-up would earn N1.5million, while the second winner would win N1million, a total of N5million.
Danbatta said “At the close of entry on November 29, 2021, 44 valid proposals were received from 42 contestants each with unique digital product/service for meeting industry and societal needs. However, at the end of the two stage assessments by the Judges, the top three Startups that emerge winners will be rewarded with cash prizes ranging from N2.5m, for the overall winner, N1.5M for the first runner-up and N1.0m for the second runner-up respectively.”
He went further to say that the competition underpins pillars 5 and 8 of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020-2030 which focus on Digital Service Development and Promotion and Indigenous Content Development and Adoption respectively, adding “It will equally give effect to Pillars 4 and 5 of the NCC Strategic Vision Implementation Plan (SVIP) 2021-2025, which are focused on promoting fair competition, inclusive growth, increased investment and innovative services while also encouraging strategic cooperation and partnerships among key players in the Nigerian tech ecosystem.”
He also brought to the fore other objectives of the forum which include but not restricted to providing networking platform for innovators and tech enthusiasts that encourages relationship building, business connections and creation of opportunities, fostering business innovation and entrepreneurship; encouraging increased investment and indigenous innovative services; stimulating the commercialization of indigenous innovative Solutions and responding to national challenges, using ICT.
Danbatta stated that through the exhibition, the Commission will assist contestants build rewarding and sustainable business partnerships, find best business innovations that have the potential to succeed in the commercial environment, and provide opportunity for them to present their plans to a group of local and global venture capitalists.
He added that the ICT innovations will be promoted in ways that improve the nation’s ability to compete in the global economy, increase investment in youth and promotion of Tech Hubs and Startups for new business delivery breakthroughs and also enhance digital economy, in line with the Commission’s Strategic Vision Implementation Plan SVIP (2021-2025).
Danbatta said “It is my hope and expectation therefore that this event unlocks and showcases the inherent potentials and innovations that are in our youths, create opportunity for Startups to meet with the venture capitalists, proffer possible support for the commercialization of prototypes while ensuring that the nation meets Mr. President desire of ‘Producing what we consume and consuming what we produce’”.
Also speaking at the event, Engr. Ubale Maska, Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, NCC said “In our world, Digital economy has become a buzz word embraced by many countries due to the increasing relevance of ICTs in human endeavors. Significantly, Digital economy comprises of goods and services that either were produced using digital technologies or include these technologies. The ICT industry stands at the center of these activities underpinning the digital economy, serving as enablers of efficiency and productivity to other vertical industries while standing as a reliable yardstick of economies’ performance.
“Developing home-grown innovative products and services in ICT would provide abundant benefits for sustainable development of the sector with huge multiplier effect on job and wealth creation across industries, improvement of balance of trade, stimulation of investment opportunities and increased domestic revenue.”
Maska represented by Chimezie Amadi, the Head, Emerging Technologies/Research, Department of Research and Development, NCC, said that the Research and Development Department of NCC would continue to work assiduously towards the meeting the objective 1(f) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 which states inter alia “encourage the development of a communications manufacturing and supply sector within the Nigerian economy and also encourage effective research and development efforts by all communications industry practitioners” while supporting management in driving the digital Nigeria Agenda of the Federal Government.
There were 20 contenders in the competition/exhibition , they include Innovia Labs; Afrilearn International Ltd; Soso Care; Cyberplural Limited; Calculus Eduaids; Aelaus Engineering Teams; Evatronics Enterprise; OkwuEco Llc; Brainiacs Stems and Robotics; Dataleum and Nephew
Others are Net Access Communications Ltd; Capsule Business Technology; Eazy Gadgets; Code Unit Software & IT Technologies Enterprise; Ogugbalex Engineering Ltd; Sublime Squares; Shamrock Innovations; Bookeyy Services Ltd and Sanndshade Ltd.
The event lecture titled ‘National Strategy for Promotion of Indigenous Contents in the Telecoms Sector’ was delivered by an erudite Professor, Sakariyau Olalekan Busra, Professor of Entrepreneurship and E-Business, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State.
