The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is set to commence the Workspace Voucher programme aimed at supporting young startups to overcome financial challenges.
This was disclosed by the Director General National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi ,who was represented by director e-Government Development and Regulations, Dr Vincent Olatunji, while delivering his remarks at the international webinar organized by Information Technology (Industry) Association of Nigeria (ITAN) Kano and Abuja chapters.
He said, NITDA as an agency with responsibility to oversee the IT sector is at the forefront of creating initiatives and schemes to mitigate the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the country’s ICT sector, particularly the startup ecosystem.
“Another programme in the pipeline is Startup Workspace Voucher programme aimed at supporting young startups to overcome their financial challenges.”
He noted that NITDA, with its two special purpose vehicles— The Office for ICT Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIIE) and the Office for Nigerian Content in ICT (ONC) is working hard to achieve its mandates of fostering the growth of technology Startup ecosystem and ensuring patronage of local content in ICT.
Some of the initiatives, according to the DG, include Work Permit for Technology Startups during lockdown; The Nigeria Covid-19 Innovation Challenge where three startups with the following solutions: locally made ventilator, decontamination chamber and e-Health monitor Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support Scheme (TIESS) emerged winners.
These schemes which have the Incubation Programme; Technical Capacity Building, Internship Programme and Hub Upscaling are designed to target various aspects for the ecosystems to achieve maximum positive effect on the ICT ecosystem.
Participants at the event included, Governor of Kano state Dr Abdullahi Ganduje and Minister of the FCT Malam Musa Bello who were co–hosts. Other international participants and presenters at the webinar were: CEO of Pen Test Digital Services Ahmad Hashim, Engineer Titus Olowokere based in Atlanta, Georgia, US, Dr Amado Espinosa, US-based, Professor Sou Mita Dutta of Cornell University, US, and Vice Chancellor National Open University, Abuja Professor Abdullahi Adamu.
While thanking the organisers of the event, Abdullahi added “We at NITDA believe that with strategic partnership and collaborations with stakeholders, we can build a new Nigeria with a robust digital economy”.
