His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, will attend the Nigeria-India Presidential Round Table and conference alongside notable players in the Nigerian tech ecosystem and other leaders in the country’s private sector.
Flutterwave’s CEO Gbenga “GB” Agboola, Interswitch’s Mitchel Elegbe, Ceviant’s Idris Bamidele Saliu, and GIG’s Chidi Ajaere have been invited to attend the event while Althani Group -owners of MAFAB communications would be represented by Alhaji Dr Musbahu Mohammed Bashir.
The event, scheduled to be held at the Le Meridien Hotel in New Dehli on the 6th of September 2023 is being hosted by the High Commission in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Nigeria-India Business Council (NIBC).
According to a statement signed by Ambassador Ahmed Sule, the Nigerian High Commissioner to India and seen by Technext, the federal government is requesting for appropriate entry visa for all delegates of this conference.
The statement reads in part:
The High Commission wishes to request the esteemed Indian High Commission in Abuja and Consulate-General in Lagos to kindly grant appropriate entry visas to the aforementioned Private Sector CEOs, to enable them to attend the Conference accordingly.
Some of the most brilliant minds in the tech industry are represented in the 38-man list of delegates representing Nigeria’s private sector, highlighting the sector’s growing importance and potential influence on international relations.
These innovators in technology are prepared to participate in high-level conversations and cooperative initiatives targeted at promoting business relations between Nigeria and India.
Some of the prominent tech figures who will be joining the delegation:
- Mr. Gbenga Agboola, CEO of Flutterwave (FinTech)
- Olamide Oiekola Aina, Founding Partner at Ventures Platform
- Mitchell Elegbe, CEO of Interswitch (FinTech)
- Idris Bamidele Saliu, Co-founder of Ceviant Finance (Tech)
- Amal Hassan, Founder/CEO of Outsource Global (BPO)
- Emeka Okafor, Internal Network (BPO)
- Chidi Ajaere, CEO, GIG Group (Automobile; Evs)
- Khalil Halilu, CEO ShaShap (Logistics; Deliveries)
- Temie Giwa-Tubosun, Founder/CEO, LifeBank
Together with other esteemed participants, these tech luminaries will participate in discussions whose goals are to deepen economic relations, look into possibilities for tech sector collaboration, and promote innovation as a catalyst for Nigeria’s development.
Their presence serves as a reminder of the IT sector’s growing influence on Nigeria’s future foreign relations.
Other members of the Nigerian private sector include Tony Elumelu, Aliko Dangote, Patrick Ajah, Bayo Odugbemi, Seun Omobo, Abdul Sama Rabiu, Femi Otedola, Jim Ovia, Adewale Tinubu, Allen Oyeoma, and Folorunsho Alakija.
Read Also: Tinubu’s manifesto shows little understanding of the Nigerian tech ecosystem
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu might be working hard for the tech ecosystem
If we recall, a few days ago, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his selection of ministers, appointed CCHub’s Bosun Tijan as the minister of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy.
He has been recognized as someone who has contributed to the growth of the Nigerian tech ecosystem, particularly through his activities at CCHub, and is expected to deliver the next level of innovation that the ecosystem requires.
This is no surprise considering the 80-page policy document (manifesto) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the presidential election that has a dedicated and well-detailed section discussing his plans for the tech ecosystem.
In the opening paragraphs of the aforementioned section titled, “The Digital Economy: Taking Advantage of the Fourth Industrial Revolution”, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s manifesto acknowledged the importance of digital technologies and innovations in driving economic growth and national development, adding that young Nigerians are “the leading pioneers exploring this exciting, fertile new economic frontier”
The manifesto also admitted that ICT-enabled outsourcing can create jobs for young Nigerians and help them tap into the booming digital global economy. It also cited how India earned $6 billion from providing ICT-enabled outsourcing services last year.
This Nigeria-India Presidential Round Table and Conference might just be one of the steps President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is taking to achieve this and bolster the economic growth of the digital and tech industry.
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