Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Pantami, will headline the closing ceremony of the Financial Services Innovators and Nigeria Association of Computing Students’ Innovative Challenge tagged ‘#TechonDemand’ hackathon.
Pantami and notable speakers from the academia and Information and Communications Technology sector will, at the occasion, dissect issues on ICT and related matters, according to a statement on Tuesday by Plexus Media Interlinks, the public relations agency to FSI.
Noting that the organisers, FSI and NACOS, in collaboration with their partners, sponsors and donors have set aside over N2.5m prize money to be won in the competition, which started virtually on October 1, 2021, the statement added that the last lap of the event runs from Tuesday, October 12, to Thursday, October 14, physically, at Nile University, Abuja.
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, Kashifu Abdullahi, will lead the conversations as he speaks on ‘Technology Renaissance for Innovation and Productivity’, even as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Ibrahim Oloriegbe, speaks on ‘Making Healthcare Systems More Efficient and Sustainable Through Disruptive Innovation’.
The Chairman of FSI, Iyin Aboyeji; Co-founder of Andela and Flutterwave, Mr Iyinoluwa Aboyeji; and Chief Executive Officer of Flutterwave, Mr Gbenga Agboola, are among guests that will make presentations today. The event begins at 9am and ends at 3pm.
Day one (today) will also witness the unveiling of the FSI Campus Ambassador Programme to support students of tertiary institutions in their journey to tech entrepreneurship, innovation culture as well as to create a tech talent pool for employable youths in diverse sectors as education, health, financial services and transportation.
The Career Talk on the second day will have the Head of Compliance, Smile Identity, Kassim Sodangi, speak on ‘The Data Economy: Regulation, Opportunities and Challenges’ while Developers Relations at Google, Aniedi Udo-Obong, takes participants on the tour of ‘How to pitch an idea’.
Day three, which is the grand finale, will also feature career talk, pitch preparation and the announcement of winners of the FSI and NACOS Innovative Challenge.
The Executive Director, FSI, Mrs Aituaz Kola-Oladejo, said, “I am elated about the collaboration with NACOS to enhance the development opportunities for young innovators in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. I strongly believe that if we create an enabling platform for young innovators to thrive, we can make Nigeria a global leader in innovative technology.
“I dream of a country where an innovator, despite his/her background, pedigree, tribe, network or influence can build a global technology enterprise, provided the required infrastructure is in place.”
While Flutterwave, Paystack, Andela and others have become unicorns in record time, however, Kola-Oladejo said innovation has yet to be democratised in Nigeria.
“Democratising innovation will create all-inclusive products at affordable rates for Nigerians. This is when we as a nation will fully achieve digital, social, financial and economic inclusion. However, it will involve the active participation of every stakeholder, financial and non-financial institutions, fintechs and government agencies,” she added.
Also, the National President, NACOS, Olamilekan Abolade, stated, “This year’s summit is unique because it has been put together to support indigenous solutions as proscribed in Pillar 8 of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020 -2030). Interestingly, we have made this summit distinct, as we have carefully chosen experts in the field of Information Technology as our speakers and we believe they will do justice to educating and encouraging our members to become great technopreneurs.”
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