The Rise Of Tech & Media Entrepreneurs In Northern Nigeria -By Oliseyenum C.

The emergence of technological innovations has evolved a whole new generation of entrepreneurs, those who are technology savvy, creative, innovative and dynamic. They have a blend of technological prowess and entrepreneurial skills. This extension of entrepreneurs are commonly referred to as the technopreneurs.

The interplay between technology and entrepreneurship has proven to be a vital agent of enterprise growth as can be seen in today’s knowledge-based as well as developing countries. Nigeria has not been left out in this tech-trade called technopreneurship as the handiwork of these entrepreneurs are being resonated in our everyday life.

Over the years, there has been an uneven spread of technopreneurs in Nigeria with less being concentrated in the north. However, this did not dwindle their overall impact in economic growth and development. Northern Nigeria is gradually bridging the technological divide with the rise of passionate and experienced technopreneurs whose vision is to make northern Nigeria a global center for high technology, innovation and business.

To accomplish this feat, the watchword should be collaboration, which is, forming a cluster of northern tech and media entrepreneurs (regardless of tribe, religion, gender or region as long as they entrepreneurs operate in the Northern part of he county) that share ideas and experiences. The startup Arewa initiative (www.startuparewa.org) provides a platform for northern technopreneurs to thrive through collaboration. The initiative seeks to form a community comprising of tech lovers, tech and media entrepreneurs and investors operating in the northern part Nigeria that will work together to create an enabling and supportive environment for the wannabe technopreneurs and startups in the region.

The initiative will also create room for the establishment of co-ventures working together to achieve a common goal.

The initiative will flag off with the Startup Arewa tech and media summit which will hold on September 18th 2018. The Summit with the theme: Building a Competitive Technopreneur” will be the first regional conference that will gather renowned tech lovers, entrepreneurs and investors from the tech and media industry to meet up, connect, share knowledge and learn from one another in order to make northern Nigeria a technological powerhouse to reckon with.

The summit will also see the launch of Startup Arewa news platform Fasaha, a website that keeps readers up-to-date on the latest happenings in tech and media space in northern Nigeria. This could not have come at a better time with the technological and entrepreneurial strides being experienced in northern Nigeria.