Pantami outlines gains of new National Digital Innovation, Entrepreneurship Centre
By Ogaga Ariemu
The Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami has outlined the benefits Nigerians stands to gain from the National Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre.
The minister made this dislosure during the groundbreaking ceremony of the centre located in Abuja on Thursday.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for his support on the project and the approval of the building.
Nigerian NewsDirect virtually attended the ceremony where Pantami said the project would be replicated across the country for the benefit of all Nigerians.
The Minister noted that Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship are globally recognized as two prerequisites for achieving an indigenous Digital Economy.
According to him, “As such, a successful digital innovation and entrepreneurship programme will support us in the development of our digital economy and this is exactly what this Centre aims to achieve.
“We are also developing National Policy on Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which this Centre and many other centres all over the country will implement.
“The groundbreaking ceremony is another giant leap towards the development of our digital economy and diversification of our country’s economy,” said the Minister.
“The Centre will be based on the ‘live, work and learn’ concept. The activities of the centre align with 6 out of the 8 pillars of our National Digital Economy Policy for a Digital Nigeria.
“We are also developing National Policy on Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which this Centre and many other centres all over the country will implement.
“Our National Digital Economy Policy appreciates the importance of identifying and supporting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and it also focuses on encouraging many of these SMEs to go a step further by aiming to become Innovation Driven Enterprises (IDEs).
“I currently lead an Abuja Massachusetts Institute of Technology Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program (MIT-REAP) to accelerate the development of homegrown IDEs in Nigeria.
“We are adopting MIT’s proven frameworks on accelerating innovation to create localized strategies for developing and sustaining enterprises driven by innovation. That same IDE-approach will be utilized in this Centre.
“As part of our policy, I earlier directed the Director-General of NITDA to include the National Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre in the proposed budget of the Agency. The National Assembly graciously approved the request.”
Speaking further, the Minister said that there are several benefits that Nigerians will enjoy from this Centre and I will mention a few of them.
He enumerated the benefits of the centre as: To enable Nigerians to acquire cutting-edge technological skills; enable Nigerians to participate in the development of hardware, software and emerging technologies; create an innovative ecosystem; create a unique platform for technical skills (programming), soft skills (social interaction), entrepreneurship (starting and operating a business) to focus on the promotion and development of ICT, including smart energy solutions to drive ICT; nurture new ideas and develop an inquisitive perspective to support in the creation of employers of labour; support in the promotion and development of ICTs, including aspects of advanced applied research; and allow startups to accelerate and experience innovations at scale, through customized visits, design thinking sessions and co-innovation workshops to create a highly collaborative and immersive environment.
He commended the Director-General of National Information and Technology Development Agency, (NITDA), Mr. Kashifu Abdullahi, for his great effort towards the implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy.
“NITDA’s role towards the digital innovation and entrepreneurship initiative is pivotal. I urge you to keep supporting the growth of the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem of the country,” Pantami said.
Earlier in his welcome speech, the Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency(NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi said innovation ecosystem is key to digital economy.
He stressed that Nigeria must toll the path of developed countries in the area of establishing an effective innovation ecosystem that will serve as incubation ground for technology development and commercialization.
In his words, “This center will serve as a platform for the MIT-REAP initiative. Innovation is a process of taking idea from inception to impact.
“To express it in a mathematical formula innovation is invention multiply by commercialization. It is a product of invention and commercialization.
“This means innovation is zero when invention is zero or when commercialization is zero. You must have the two to be innovative.
Commercialization is about entrepreneurship, it is about starting and growing a new business.”
The Chief Executives of Galaxy Backbone Limited, Prof Muhammad Abubakar, Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited(NIGCOMSAT), Dr Abimbola Alale, Group General Manager, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr Mele Kyari gave goodwill messages.
