Resilient Amazon in Nigeria’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Mrs. Funke Okpeke has led other technology drivers to call for increased investments in broadband development so as to deepen the growing knowledge economy on the country.
Speaking as a panelist at 9th eNigeria conference and exhibitions 2016, held in Abuja, the chief executive officer of MainOne Cable Company Limited said whereas increased broadband penetration is growing innovation productivity, creating more business opportunities among startups, efficient social service deliveries like e-health, and e-learning, the issue of funding is hobbling the innovators from deploying their solutions.
Opeke listed access to fund as key to the challenge of young innovators, stressing that the operating environment is not such that grants credit card to support yourself while seeking for fund to launch your solution.
While calling for capital investments in terms of capacity building and infrastructure development in the IT industry to assist the young innovators, Okpeke argued that “If we can have one ‘Google’ or ‘Facebook’ coming out from the innovation hub, it will create enough publicity to attract local investors to focus on startups”.
“As an industry and a society, we have responsibility to figure out how to support these startups and not leave them to bear the burdens alone. This can be done by removing entry-barriers facing these new businesses.
