Lagos announces Yaba ICT cluster project take-off

The Lagos State government has announced the commencement of the Yaba ICT Cluster project named KITE@Yaba (KITE stands for “Knowledge, Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship”), to facilitate and support the development of a technology cluster and ecosystem within the Yaba District of Lagos.  Mr Hakeem Fahm, the state Commissioner for Science and Technology said “KITE@Yaba is […]

The Lagos State government has announced the commencement of the Yaba ICT Cluster project named KITE@Yaba (KITE stands for “Knowledge, Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship”), to facilitate and support the development of a technology cluster and ecosystem within the Yaba District of Lagos. 

Mr Hakeem Fahm, the state Commissioner for Science and Technology said “KITE@Yaba is a public-private partnership (PPP), driven by the government and supported by several industry experts and advisors along the technology value chain”.

The project will proffer recommendations to the state government on access to funding; access to market & demand; infrastructure; policy regulation & governance; talent, skills & education; research & development; network & collaboration; and advocacy & marketing.  

Global interest in Nigeria’s emerging tech sector is buoyed by the investment of Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, in Andela, a Nigerian start-up, which was followed by his visit to Yaba in September 2016.  

Yaba now accommodates over 60 start-ups and tech companies including Hotels.ng, Afrika’s Talking, PagaTech and incubator/accelerator programmes, such as Co-Creation Hub (CcHub), Passion Incubator, and more recently NG_HUB (Facebook), Blue Lab (Stanbic IBTC) and Digital Lab (First Bank).