Nigeria readies 10 startups for GITEX 2017
Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami
The Nigeria government through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) will be promoting 10 startups at this year’s Gitex technology expo and conference holding in Dubai from October 8-12.
The country’s tech-ambassadors were carefully selected after a highly competitive process anchored by the Office for ICT Innovation & Entrepreneurship (OIIE) which is an arm of the NITDA.
The 10 are: Nicademia, SIX, Tattara, Accounteer, Beat Drone, Cloudoria, Dropque, MyPadi, Ward Monitor and MTK e-Learning will join their peers from over 60 countries at the second edition of the Gitex Startups Global Movement which was launched last year at Gitex to be a global rallying ground for funding startups and exposing innovators to mentors and venture capitalists.
Gitex is the premier yearly technology event in the Middle East, Asia and Africa hosting over 185, 000 visitors from more than 140 countries. This year’s edition holds October 8-12 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) with the theme: ‘Re- Imagining Realities -Discover Transform Innovate.’
Nigeria is promoting three thematic activities for its participation this year on IT investment and exposure of indigenous. The activities are the Nigerian Pavilion, the Startup Innovation Hub, and the Africa Investment Forum (AIF) being put together jointly by the Nigerian government through the NITDA and the UAE government through the DWTC, organisers of GITEX.
The AIF is designed to attract to the Africa’s investment potential in ICT; the AIF will highlight Nigeria’s investment increasing portfolio for ICT investment as the continent’s largest economy and market for ICT. The AIF will be drawing participation from the technology business communities in Asia, Europe, the Americas and the rest of Africa.
NITDA’s Director-General, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, said NITDA’s remains committed to its mandate to build a technology ecosystem that thrives on indigenous manpower connected to the global IT community.
Pantami said young people are a critical focus of NITDA’s agenda to develop the IT sector. “Our young people are highly talented. With more training, exposure, funding and mentorship, a thriving IT industry can be encouraged to grow within international standards so that we can not only meet our local needs but also become an IT exporting nation,” said Pantami.
