By Matthew Denis, Abuja
Thrive Agric, an agricultural technology company, has called on the Federal Government (FG) to deepen the integration of basic technology skills education across Nigerian schools.
Mr. Uka Eje, Chief Executive Officer of Thrive Agric and convener of the Abuja Tech Converge (ATC), made the appeal at the third edition of the event.
He argued that embedding basic tech skills education in the school curriculum would significantly accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation.
Mr. Eje highlighted that while Nigeria possesses abundant tech talent, effective knowledge transfer requires deliberate policy action to expose young people to practical learning opportunities and the skills demanded by the modern employment industry.
Eje stated that private institutions are willing to train people in basic technology skills, but the government needs to facilitate connections between these trainers and the appropriate public institutions, especially universities of education and technical colleges.
He stressed the need for technology skills training to move beyond the corporate environment and be integrated directly into schools.
“The government has done a good job by making entrepreneurship something we learn in schools, but you can be enterprising without having access to the financing to fund your business,” Eje noted. “Technology is a step further to learn product management, front-end development in our already existing school environment.”
Eje asserted that the government must prioritize technology education across primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions to bridge the skills gap and prepare young Nigerians for global competitiveness.
Addressing the issue of funding for tech startups, Eje pointed out a crucial barrier: many startups lack the necessary training and business structure to attract investors.
“Many venture capitalists come in and are ready to invest but struggle to find businesses that are investment ready,” he said. He added that many are “building, but not building businesses that will remain standing after a year.”
The Abuja Tech Converge (ATC) was specifically created to spotlight technology as a tool for impact, growth, and job creation. The event showcases emerging technologies, trains young people, and connects them with organizations for jobs and partnerships.
Supporting this view, Mr. Akintunde Akinwande, Head of Digital at OCP Africa, emphasized that technology is a powerful driver for solving infrastructural challenges, particularly in agriculture, which is their focus. Akinwande believes Nigeria’s greatest opportunity lies in leveraging technology to develop sustainable, scalable solutions tailored to local problems.
Akinwande highlighted a key challenge: “Developing solutions is not the difficult part, but getting people to use them is the challenge.”
He explained that while designing an AI tool for farmers is easy, getting that tool accessible requires a functioning system.
To foster innovation and ensure scalability, Akinwande urged the government to establish co-creation hubs nationwide to help young innovators refine ideas, receive mentorship, and build scalable businesses.
He also urged the government to co-create policies with the private sector to protect intellectual property and strengthen the innovation ecosystem.
The Abuja Tech Converge 3.0, themed “Beyond Buzzwords: Demystifying Emerging Tech for Real Impact,” was organized by Thrive Agric in partnership with OCP Africa.
