The Anambra state government is making sustained effort towards transforming the state’s capital city, Awka into a major tech hub in Africa.
This is evident in the recently approved proposal by the Anambra State Executive Council (ANSEC) for the construction of the Solution Innovation District (SID) at its designated permanent site in Awka.
The approval was followed by an immediate commencement of the construction of an Innovation Block, a mixed-use building with a 3842sqm of floor area which the governor says will be equipped with high-tech facilities and spaces for Enterprise Data Centres, Artificial Intelligence, Mechatronic, Robotic and Virtual Reality laboratories.
According to reports, Governor Soludo’s resolve is to provide the Solution Innovation District with state-of-the-art sewage treatment systems, well-planned green areas, water treatment facilities and other well-designed facilities.
It was also gathered that the governor aims to make the facility a place where people would love to work in thereby, aggregating tech talents in Anambra state for the overall long-term benefit of the state.
Further findings have also revealed that the Innovation Block will comprise of other facilities required to create an environment for innovation, productivity and collaboration: An environment where software engineers and techies can play, relax and enjoy while they develop their codes and algorithms.
In a recent publication, special adviser to Governor Soludo on special projects, Ebuka Nwankwo, revealed that in a bid to achieve a serene and comfortable working environment as the governor desires, gyms, co-working areas, creativity halls, gaming rooms, restaurants, auditoriums, libraries, offices, conference rooms, shopping malls, napping rooms and more will be added to the innovation block.
He stated that the facility will strive to create the kind of work environment that is obtainable in Google’s headquarters at Silicon Valley in the South San Francisco Bay Area of California while reiterating the Governor’s vision to create the Silicon Valley of Africa in Awka.
He said, “The Solution Innovation District, which is expected to be completed within the next two years, would be the catalyst to attract other tech businesses into Awka.”
Recall that in January, Governor Soludo reportedly led a delegation which met with the US Consul-General, William Stevens and key figures from leading US high-tech companies in Lagos. To this end, he said the proposed Innovation Block would provide co-working facilities for global and local tech companies in Anambra as the state is already preparing the ground for its innovation district to go full blast.
Nwankwo remarked that in the last two years, the Solution Innovation District while at its temporary site, has trained over 20,000 youths in digital skills, including coding and software development.
He expressed hope that with the completion of the proposed Innovation Block at the permanent site of the Solution Innovation District, Anambra would become a major tech hub in Nigeria and in Africa.
He wrote, “The Innovation Block is designed and built to leverage the resources of leading scientists and tech gurus in order to make Awka a preferred tech hub. It will provide an ecosystem that links tech companies to tech talents in Awka. It will also provide a forum where young techies can commercialize new products and technologies.”
The governor’s special adviser also spoke on his boss’ plan for start-ups especially those in the tech industry and how the tech hub under construction would be beneficial to helping such innovations access funding.
He continued, “Governor Soludo plans to make Awka a fintech start-up capital in Africa. The vision is to put Awka in the league of cities like Lagos, Nairobi and Cape Town – i.e. cities that attract most of the tech funds from investment companies in Africa. (African start-ups secured over $1.4 billion funding in 2023).
“Anambra – and Nigeria at large – has a demographic advantage with its young population. Governor Soludo plans to harness these talents and grow wealth in Anambra State. Young people in the area of hardware, software development and data science have a glorious future in Anambra.
“This innovation district shall also provide co-working spaces for young people. It will provide access to incubators and accelerators for our young people. The opportunities for networking would be huge in Anambra in the coming years.”
The Governor’s special assistant also spoke on the profound impact the completion of the proposed site would have on the economy of the state thereby increasing its annual GDP whilst attracting both skilled tech professionals and investors into the state. He further expressed hope that once the project sees the light of day, and commences operation in ernest, Anambra would be “one of the biggest producers of tech talents in Nigeria.”
He wrote, “Anambra plans to attract the best and the brightest to Awka with the Solution Innovation District. The GDP of the state is expected to grow significantly with the coming of these tech talents.
“In the coming years and with this innovation district operating at full capacity, Anambra would be one of the biggest producers of tech talents in Nigeria. The future is bright for techies in Anambra and in Nigeria. As residents or indigenes of Anambra, it is in our best interest to support Governor Soludo as he puts Awka in the map.
Governor Soludo’s effort in Anambra is only one of the many efforts Nigeria and Africa are making towards closing large gaps in the technology sector in order to promote innovation, economic growth and global competitiveness.
Amongst several others, infrastructure is one significant gap. The absence of stable power supplies and dependable internet access also contributes to the many factors preventing tech ecosystems from growing steadily. Also, there is a skills gap in which a growing number of young people are showing strong interest in technology but are limited due to lack of access to high-quality STEM education and training.
Similarly, investment is another important gap. Compared to other regions, venture capital is still insufficient for African digital entrepreneurs, despite an increase in funding. This has an impact on the innovative solutions’ sustainability and scalability therefore, modernising legal and legislative frameworks is also necessary to encourage technological advancement, safeguard intellectual property and foster an innovative atmosphere.
