Residents of the South-South and South-East regions are required to improve their digital skills and capabilities with the aim of empowering more economic space for growth, unemployment and poverty reduction within and beyond the region.
Uche Aniche, convenor of the Start Up South 9 Conference held in Port Harcourt recently, stressed the need for Nigerians and the government to start thinking about the technology economy instead of focusing on crude oil.
Therefore, reconsidering economic diversification strategies could help revive the country's struggling economy.
Mr Aniche said there was raw talent in the country, especially in the South-South region, which could bring about tremendous economic transformation if properly trained and utilized.
He called on governments and organizations to support this vision.
He said the conference will focus on bringing people together, inspiring both young talents and experienced individuals to leverage technology to reduce poverty.
“The conference has evolved to reflect the dynamic technology and economic landscape, cementing its position as the leading technology and business innovation conference in the South-South region of Nigeria,” he said. .
Yen Choi of Chiplab, who spoke on the theme of “Securing the Future of Technology,” emphasized the role of microchips.
He agreed that the high-tech economy could play an important role in reviving the Nigerian economy.
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He said, “In Nigeria, it is important to have a high-tech economy rather than relying solely on crude oil exports.We can also think of a high-tech economy that develops new technologies and exports them to the world.”
He lamented the lack of Microchip designers in the country, advocated for educating Microchip designers in schools, and called on organizations and governments to sponsor training on the subject.
In his words, “There is a trend to train microchip designers within Nigeria to further boost the country’s economy.”
Nkechi Egerton Idehen from Nig Com Sat spoke on “The Future of Satellites and Connectivity”. She said satellites are a great technology to complement the internet, especially when access to connectivity is difficult.
In her words: “NigComSat is passionate about startups. We want to build network access via satellite, especially in rural areas where people have difficulty getting good internet reception. We hope that in the future, satellites will become an inclusive technology for everyone.”
“The most important thing for a startup technology owner is the customer experience, so we are very interested in helping startups create great customer experiences in the future. Businesses won’t be left stranded if their internet connection shuts down.”
A number of other speakers at the conference emphasized the need to focus on the technology economy.
