Ekiti state governor, Biodun Oyebanji has said his administration is committed to making the state hub of technology and talent development in the country.
Oyebanji explained that the time has come for the state to leverage the advantages in the tech sector to address challenges in society and create opportunities for youths in the state to thrive for economic growth and development.
The governor spoke in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital during the second edition of the Ekiti Tech Hangout organized by the office of the Special Adviser on Governance, Reforms and Innovation, Seun Fakuade, which saw the convergence of over 400 notable tech enthusiasts, innovators, and creative entrepreneurs in the state.
A statement released by the office of the Special Adviser who organized the event quoted the governor to have said, ” Governor Biodun Oyebanji, who was also in attendance, spoke on the importance of leveraging technology to address developmental challenges and create opportunities for the youths in Ekiti state.
“The Governor highlighted some of the State’s recent achievements in the innovation ecosystem, which included the recent Free Trade Zone status granted by the Federal Government and the upcoming Ekiti Knowledge Zone, stating that the Ekiti State government, through its various initiatives, is repositioning the State as a hub for technology and talent development in Nigeria.”
Speaking, Fakuade said the event was aimed at rejigging the tech clusters within the state and fostering innovation and creativity in the state.
He said, ” The Ekiti Tech Hangout is an initiative aimed at creating a platform for young people in the State to connect, learn useful tech skills and share ideas on how to scale their businesses. The event, which was a huge success, had participants in attendance from various industry clusters, who gave useful feedback on how to utilize technology and artificial intelligence to drive economic growth and development.
“It helps position Ekiti State as a centre of collaboration and synergy, and a hub for innovation and creativity. The Ekiti Tech Hangout 2.0 remains a significant milestone in the state’s journey towards creating a thriving innovation ecosystem as it demonstrates the State’s commitment to transforming the economy and creating opportunities for young people to thrive.”
While commending Governor Oyebanji for his unwavering commitment to building and supporting the innovation ecosystem in the state, he stressed the need to build talents in Ekiti that will stay, grow, thrive and prosper in the state.
The governor’s aide urged young people to take advantage of the various opportunities provided by the state government to expand their horizons and drive innovation in Ekiti.