Director General for NITDA says Nigeria is a global supplier of tech talents.
On Tuesday, September 6, 2022, U.S Tech titan, Google, unveiled 60 Africa Startups grantees of its second cohort Black Founders Fund (BFF) initiative in Abuja. Following this development, the Director General for the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr. Kashifu Abdullahi, in his remarks at the unveiling ceremony stated that Nigeria has become a global supplier of tech talents and that the project that is being unveiled would greatly improve the Digital Economy of the country.
Abdullahi further stated that Google has brought a rare opportunity into Nigeria for the country’s startups, as funding has proven to be a major challenge confronting the Nigerian tech ecosystem. Shortage of talents is a global issue which is yet to be properly addressed, because talents are sought after everywhere. However, Nigeria, according to the DG, has the talents, which explains the reason why tech companies come from across the globe to search and acquire needed talents.
Nigeria can compete with developed countries in terms of software & talent.
An initiative like the BFF initiative will enable the creation of more talents across the country, being the people’s component of technology. This is because without people who have the ability to think and invent new ideas, it is impossible to have good technology. It is a huge opportunity for Nigeria to be in the position of supplying talents across the globe. Although, Nigeria cannot compete with developed countries in terms of hardware manufacturing, it can in terms of software and talent.
The initiative, by enabling the building of more talents in the country, will also bring solutions to local problems and upscale them to global scale. By doing so, Nigeria tech industry will have the privilege of being opened up to the global market. Also, the Head of the Startup Ecosystem Africa, Mr. Folarin Aiyegbusi, said that the challenges facing Africa can be addressed through intentional efforts by Africans and the globe. Solving the challenges should not be later than the present moment.
The BFF program will bridge the gap of disproportionate funding.
Africa, being a diverse continent with huge opportunities, is confronted with a major challenge of limited diversity in the aspect of venture capital funding flow. The BFF program is therefore anticipated to cover the gap of disproportionate funding between expat startups over local and black-led companies. The equity-free cash assistance which will be offered to startups will help them cover immediate basic needs which include payment of staff, funding inventory, and maintenance of software licenses.
This opportunity will enable grantees to avoid taking on debts in the early stages of their businesses, due to the fact that many of them have no stable sources of revenue at the moment. The founder of Norebase, Mr. Tola Onayemi, one of the grantees, appreciated Google for boosting technology and innovation in Africa. Some of the grantees include, HerVest, Ajua, Lifebank, Bag Innovation, Agrickool, Estate Intel, Eden Life, Haul247, Healthtracka, Awabah, Flex Finance, Bee, Built, Bookings Africa, Bailport and many more.
The grantees will receive a six-month training program.
The grantees were made up of business owners who are citizens of Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Botswana, South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Rwanda and Uganda and are experts in fields such as healthcare, education, fintech, e-commerce, hospitality, agtech, logistics and smart cities. Selected Startups will be supported by a six-month training program that gives them access to a network of mentors that will help them solve challenges through tailored workshops, support workshops, and community building sessions. The 60 grantees will also be given non-dilutive awards between $50,000, $100,000 and $200,000 in Google Cloud credit.
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This is a good news from goggle giving back to African countries and counting Nigeria worthy of the benefits,from different fields with various degree of training programs.
There’s no doubt that Africans are intelligent and talented, this talents are being covered up because of lack of finances and innovative ideas.
I’m glad google is giving Africans the opportunity to showcase their talent. This will greatly help them improve and I’m sure it will be an insightful program
This is a good project that google company is working on. This will help unveil all hidden talents. Hopefully those that get selected will make good use of it
I’m happy GOOGLE is also empowering Africans through the provision of grants. I hope the people that will be shortlisted will also take in practice what they learn. In turn, they should also contribute their own quota towards the development of the society.
This would help put out amazing talent out there. It’s amazing that Google is giving funds to Africans in order to empower them. Hopefully the candidates who will be chosen will put what they learn into practice.
It is so nice the Google is recognizing how Africa are talented. Africa people are talent it is just lack of opportunity to prove and improve their self is not giving. So now this will help unveil talented people are show case their talent
Nigerians are truly talented but no opportunity was made available for them to display their talent. Thanks to Google the world giant tech that is given 60 African Startup grantees and opportunity to showcase their with all the needed support.
Nigeria is loaded with bunch of talented people. All we need is the necessary opportunity to showcase the stuff we are made up of. Google unveiling of 60 African Startups grantees is a better platform for Nigeria to get all that they will need for effective takeoff.
This is very good, Africa have a lot of talented people. With this opportunity many will benefit from it. Good project by Google
Nigeria has emerged as a leading provider of technological expertise on a global scale, and it is anticipated that the new initiative, which is now being presented, would significantly boost the country’s digital economy.
It is because Nigeria possesses the talents that technology businesses from all over the world travel to the country in order to look for and acquire the talents they require.
This recent development will improve the Digital Economy of the country tremendously. As new startup now have chance to showcase there creative innovation and boost there businesses.
Nice one, Google will greatly help the talented ones showcase their talents, build and improve them….Africa is getting recognised, It’s a privilege.
Nigeria has really develop in term of tech and this has really help alot of citizen in finding there area of specialization or their area of strenght.Lots of jobs has been provide through this and it has boost the economy in general.
Due to the fact that finance has proven to be a significant obstacle for the Nigerian tech sector, Google has introduced an unprecedented chance for the country’s young businesses to take advantage of in Nigeria.
This is due to the fact that in order to have effective technology, it is necessary to have individuals who are able to think creatively and come up with new ideas.
While Nigeria cannot compete with industrialised countries when it comes to the manufacturing of hardware, it may do so when it comes to software and skill.
In light of this, it is envisaged that the BFF programme will fill the funding gap that exists between local and black-driven businesses and startups led by foreign nationals.
This is very good because it will help boost the growth of our tech industry and also provide jobs for people
The equity-free cash support that will be provided to startups will help them handle immediate basic necessities such as the payment of staff, the funding of inventory, and the maintenance of software licences. This assistance will be granted to help cover the costs associated with starting a business.