Abia and Enugu states have called for stronger regional collaboration to drive digital innovation, develop technology talent and support startups across Nigeria.
The call was made on Wednesday during the South-East Regional Activation of the Africa Innovation Foundry (AIF), held at the Abia State Secretariat Complex in Umuahia.
The event brought together government officials, technology entrepreneurs, investors and innovators from across the South-East to discuss strategies for strengthening the region’s digital economy.
Speaking at the event, the Abia State Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr David Kalu, said the state had positioned itself as a hub for innovation by creating an enabling environment for startups.
He noted that Abia had domesticated the Nigeria Startup Act through the Abia Startup Law, making it the first state in the South-East to establish a legal framework for startup development.
Kalu said the state had also established a ₦2 billion Startup Support Fund to improve access to finance and created the Abia State Startup Administration Board to oversee startup registration, tax incentives and intellectual property protection.
According to him, the government is integrating its traditional manufacturing and leather industries with digital innovation through technology parks and innovation clusters.
He also highlighted the establishment of Nigeria’s first manufacturing technology innovation hub at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Also speaking, the Enugu State Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Lawrence Ezeh, represented by Mrs Chinyere Otuonye, said innovation remained central to the state’s economic transformation agenda.
He said the Enugu State Government had invested in digital infrastructure, smart education and startup development under Governor Peter Mbah’s administration, with the goal of making the state a leading destination for technology investment in eastern Nigeria.
Ezeh called on South-East states to harmonise their digital economy policies through the proposed South-East Digital Economy Policy Roundtable to promote regional development.
The Special Assistant to the Abia State Governor on Digital Economy, Miss Elizabeth Chijioke, urged innovators to strengthen cross-state partnerships, describing Abia as a platform for developing, testing and commercialising innovative ideas.
The Permanent Secretary in the Abia State Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Mrs Justina Eboh, said the state’s decision to host the event reflected its commitment to building a sustainable, technology-driven economy through investment in human capital.
The Executive Director of Africa Innovation Foundry, Mr Deji Garuba, said the initiative aims to train 150,000 young Nigerians in digital skills and incubate 3,000 startups over the next 24 months.
He explained that the programme would be delivered through a combination of online learning and physical innovation hubs, with participants receiving training at basic, intermediate and advanced levels.
Garuba also disclosed that the organisation had partnered with the Development Bank of Nigeria to provide a ₦100 million funding facility for startups, adding that discussions were ongoing with additional local and international partners.
Participants from Abia, Enugu, Imo, Anambra and Ebonyi states expressed optimism that the initiative would strengthen the region’s innovation ecosystem and expand opportunities for technology entrepreneurs.
The event concluded with a renewed call for greater collaboration among South-East states to position the region as a leading technology and innovation hub in Africa.
