Anambra State this week invested N80 million in 80 startups and graduated 400 tech professionals as part of efforts to grow its digital economy.
In a statement issued Friday in Abuja, the Solution Innovation District (SID), the state agency for innovation, entrepreneurship and digital skills, said the support and graduation took place in Awka during the Anambra Startup Investment and Technology Skills Graduation Programme.
Under SID’s programme, 80 businesses that completed a 12-week incubation scheme received N1 million each, bringing the total funding to N80 million. Participants were trained in business development, customer acquisition, financial planning and investor readiness.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo said the investment forms part of plans to diversify the economy and create opportunities for young people through technology and innovation. He highlighted initiatives such as the Anambra Startup Incubation Programme and the 1 Million Anambra Digital Tribe, urging beneficiaries to build sustainable businesses that create jobs and attract investors.
“Our administration is committed to transforming Anambra into Africa’s Silicon Valley. This vision is driven not by politics but by a clear and strategic imperative to secure the future of our state and its people,”
SID CEO and Special Adviser Chinwe Okoli said the fund is aimed at innovation-driven businesses. She added that more than 111 startups have benefited from SID programmes, while about 264,000 people have been reached through the digital skills initiative toward the target of one million by 2030.
The event also featured 300 graduates from a robotics programme run with Circum Technologies and 100 graduates from an ISP Network Engineering Programme organised with Connekt Broadband.
“In addition, 100 participants completed the ISP Network Engineering Programme organised in collaboration with Connekt Broadband. The three-month programme equipped participants with practical skills in broadband infrastructure deployment, fibre optic installation, wireless networking and internet service operations,” she explained.
Connekt CEO Ifeanyi Adirika announced a N1 billion Connectivity Fund to expand broadband access across Anambra’s 21 local government areas and create jobs for newly trained engineers.
