●Emerges first state in Nigeria to domesticate Start Up Act

The administration of Senator Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has mapped out relevant plans to speedily entrench the development of Information and Communication Technology in order to put the state on a higher pedestal for digital economy, agriculture and telemedicine.

The Coordinating Director, Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr. Murtala Adekilekun Kehinde Jimoh, stated this while addressing participants at series of stakeholders consultation and validation workshops on State ICT and Innovation Policy currently holding at the Staff Development Centre, behind Osun State Government Secretariat,

The Coordinating Director who was extremely delighted to address the gathering further unfolded commitment of Governor Adeleke to positively turn the State around in all ramifications geared towards making Osun to be at par with the best global practices, technologically.

“With the exercise, Governor Adeleke is ready to make history particularly in the area of digital economy which is a multi-billion naira sector with high potentials for job and wealth creation. The new economy is digital based and Osun is laying a very solid foundation to be integrated into that global trend.

“Mr. Governor has embarked on a tech revolution in Osun state. This is the first time Osun state is having a state ICT Policy, State Tech Innovation Policy, State Goggle Mapping Process, broadband fiber optic flag off among others.

“Osun is billed to be the first State in Nigeria to domesticate the Nigeria Start Up Act. His Excellency targets a tech driven Osun State earning tech dollars and a Silicon valley style economy.

“By the time the current administration would mark 100 Days in Office, the State would have achieved many developmental goals in the areas of ICT in line with the Tech Innovation agenda of the government,” Adekilekun noted.

He described the convergence of experts and stakeholders drawn from Governmental and Non-governmental Organizations and members of the academia from higher institutions of learning to brainstorm on how best to come up with the State ICT and Innovation Policies as a better way of tapping from the pool of knowledge of experts and stakeholders.

Adekilekun stressed that “this is a way of contributing to the growth of the State because at the end of the day, when His Excellency, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke approves the bill to be passed into law by the State Assembly, all contributors in this laudable effort would have their names written in gold.”

Participants who were drawn from private and public universities in the state, Federal and State technological institutes operating within the state and NGOs among others described the programme as timely and worthwhile just as they lauded the Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke led administration in Osun state.

In another session tagged “Stakeholders Consultation on Domestication of Nigeria's Start Ups Act”, Business Chief Executives resident in Osun State also gave a pat on the back to the giant strides being made by Governor Adeleke particularly for providing enabling environments for new investors to start up their businesses.

A business consultant on Nigeria Start Up Act in Nigeria from Abuja, Mr. Jude Feranmi said the domestication of start-up Act in Osun State by the PDP led administration in Osun will provide a lee way for the development and growth of technology related talents among its youth population.

The Start-Up consultant added that the consultation “will position Nigeria’s ecosystem as the digital technology centre in Africa”.

He thereafter urged participants to see the opportunity provided by the program as a way of contributing their own quota towards laying a good foundation for the next generations of investors that will generate employment and create wealth.

Appreciating the participants at the end of the second session of the programme, the Coordinating Director, Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr. Muritala Adekilekun Jimoh, reaffirmed the readiness of the Governor Adeleke administration to give the entire state a facelift in all sectors which according to him necessitated the series of strides being currently witnessed in the state in less than 100 days of being in office as Osun Chief Executive Officer.

He concluded by saying that “Osun will be the first State in Nigeria to have domesticated and implemented the Startup Act if passed into law.”

As part of the activities lined up for the achievement of the Tech Innovation agenda of Governor Adeleke, relevant stakeholders from all walks of life converged at the Staff Development Centre to validate the domestication of the Nigeria Start-up Act.

After the validation sessions, the state helmsman, Senator Adeleke will superintend over the grand finale where a 5-in-1 event will hold namely:

● Unveiling of Osun State ICT Policy;

● Unveiling of Osun State Tech Innovation Policy;

● Presentation of Osun Google Mapping Report;

● Inauguration of Osun Technology Innovation and Digital Economy Advisory Board

● Signing of the Letter presenting the First Executive Bill (Osun Startups Act) to the State Assembly; and

● Flag off of Broadband Fiber Optics project for Osun State.

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