Kwara hosts 250 tech ecosystem builders to ease govt businesses

Kwara State Government at the weekend assembled at least 250 tech ecosystem builders across Nigeria to develop ideas and digital skills that will address some of the problems associated with government businesses in the country and beyond. The two-day event, which attracted participants from states like Cross Rivers, Kano, Nasarawa, Niger and Kwara, saw contestants […]

Kwara State Government at the weekend assembled at least 250 tech ecosystem builders across Nigeria to develop ideas and digital skills that will address some of the problems associated with government businesses in the country and beyond.

The two-day event, which attracted participants from states like Cross Rivers, Kano, Nasarawa, Niger and Kwara, saw contestants coding all night, seeking to proffer solutions to letter and memo tracking systems; data capturing system; medical record systems for hospitals; election monitoring systems; among others.

Organized by the state-owned Ilorin Innovation Hub led by Temi Kolawole, some of the ICT talents were rewarded with monetary prizes at the end of the pitching exercise that was keenly supervised by a panel of judges.

Prominent among the participants and mentors were the Country Director, UK Nigeria Tech Hub, Justina Oha; House of Reps candidate (APC) Ilorin West/Asa Federal Constituency Hon. Mukhtar Shagaya; representative of the Director General National Information Technology and Development Agency (NITDA) and Director Zonal offices of the agency Babajide Ajayi; Vice President IHS Towers Kazeem Oladepo; Memunat Monsuma; CEO Plat Technologies Ltd Engr Taofik Abdulkareem; and some government officials, including the State Commissioner for Communications Hon. Sadiq Buhari; Executive Chairman Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) Folashade Omoniyi; Managing Director, Ilorin Innovation Hub, Temi Kolawole; Executive Chairman, State Geographic Information System (Kw-GIS) Abdulmutalib Shittu; GMD Harmony Holdings Abdulmajeed Abdullahi; and Acting GM state Social Investment Programme (KWASSIP) Abdulquowiyu Olododo, among others.

Country Director, UK Nigeria Tech Hub, Justina Oha, in her keynote address, said e-solutions are now becoming part of the processes globally, commended the state government for going digital and for the choice of Temi Kolawole as the head of Innovation Hub.

She said the United Kingdom is interested in collaborating with Nigeria and Kwara in particular to develop an enabling tech ecosystem.

“The governments of this World are looking for e-solutions to become a part of their processes, and regardless of the outcome tonight you are all winners as you are contributing to the digital economy of this World and the solutions that will matter,” she said.

“Technology drives innovation. It has come to stay and it will continue to be so. It is really difficult imagining where the World will be in the next ten years just because of the principles of multiplicity. Things are happening in a very accelerated space. And staying alive with your vision in technology is a sure way to become part of that movement”.

“We will continue to work together to develop an enabling tech ecosystem in Nigeria and in Kwara state. God bless this state and all of you,” she added.

Temi, for his part, said they organized the programme to unlock some key solutions in government, and also kick-start a revolution in the way government is run in Nigeria.

“We believe the government can become more efficient via adoption of technology and digital transformation. The current mode of communication in government agencies is still mostly
paper-driven, which comes with several risks. We are putting this hackathon together to unlock some key solutions in government, and also kick-start a revolution in the way government is run in Nigeria, while supporting local talent,” he said, while speaking with newsmen late Sunday.