By The UK-Nigeria Tech Hub, launched in 2019, and which is part of the International Tech Hub Network delivered by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office under the UK Government’s Digital Access Programme (DAP), has recorded massive impact on the Nigeria’s tech space.
Besides supporting startups in collaboration with Google with funding of $3 million, the Tech Hub has supported 168 tech-enabled SMEs, early-stage startups, and engaged with 55 investors.
Giving insights into the key success story of the UK-NG Tech Hub, the Director, Oyinka Akintola-Bello said at a UK Tech Workshop for journalists in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, stated that the UK DevCareer Tech Programme will equip 1,700 individuals, including 680 women, across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones with technical skills in software development, product design, and product management.
According to her, the UK Government Social Innovation Driven Entrepreneurship’ project collaborated with the
Network of Innovators and Incubators in Nigeria (NINe) and the Kaduna Business School to support 12 Social Impact driven businesses to build innovative digital solutions.
Also, she recalled that the UK Government African Angel Academy project has so far trained 24 aspiring angel investors (15 women,9 men), equipping them with the knowledge needed to identify and invest in deals adding that the Nigeria Syndicate Legal Primer was also developed and made open source for the benefit of the tech ecosystem.
Also speaking, the Digital Access Programme (DAP) Adviser and Country for the UK International Development for Nigeria, Idongesit Udoh, stated that the DAP provided the technical assistance for the development of the Nigeria National
Broadband Plan 2020 -2025, a set of sweeping policy reforms for the expansion of broadband in Nigeria that continues to be implemented today.
He also said that the DAP has partnered with some state governments in Nigeria to promote state-level digital economy reforms while also providing Technical Assistance on Right of Way (RoW) policy and regulatory reforms that enabled the regulatory authority and state government to action reforms that promotes connectivity expansion to unserved/underserved
populations/communities.
According to Chisom Udemezue of the West Africa Research and Innovation Hub, the Uk International Development in Nigeria, was responsible for the activation of new financial contribution from the African Development Bank (AfDB) of $80 million for the Ekiti Knowledge Zone (EKZ) project adding that the development of Ekiti State Innovation ecosystem map: Innovate Ekiti (https://innovateekiti.org/), is a mapping of the state’s innovation ecosystem to provide the innovation network actors with increased access to information, collaboration, and investment opportunities.
She stated that the Ekiti State Investment Guide showcases Ekiti State’s innovation ecosystem potential and aims to increase investor confidence in the region by providing them with timely and relevant information needed to understand and invest in the state’s innovation ecosystem.
She added that 362 researchers and innovators were trained; 50 startups incubated saying that research outputs are on a clear pathway to market readiness and commercialisation with 52 prototypes funded.
Country Director, Department of Business and Trade, Nakling Danfulani disclosed that the UK’s Development Finance Institute, British International Investments (BII) has invested over $20m into Nigerian Tech Companies including Moove and AutoCheck adding that the UK tech industry demonstrated its resilience in 2022, reaching a combined market value of $1 trillion.
Danfulani who did a joint presentation with her colleague, Morayo Adekunle said that in the next two to three years, the UK Government plans to support tech unicorns access global pools of capital in the UK financial market, facilitate listings and capital raise for Nigerian Tech established companies and promote technical partnerships with Nigerian counterparts to build capacity across the tech value chain.
She further said that the Government also hope to amplify awareness of cybersecurity solutions and benefits to Tech stakeholders and other Nigerian Businesses while bridging partnerships to upscale capabilities in the Nigerian cybersecurity space
