Abia and Enugu states have called for stronger regional collaboration aimed at training 150,000 tech talents and incubating 3,000 startups across Nigeria.
The call was made on Wednesday during the South-East Regional Activation of the Africa Innovation Foundry (AIF), held at the Abia State Secretariat Complex in Umuahia.
The event attracted government officials, innovators, investors and technology founders from across the South-East region.
In his keynote address, the Abia State Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, David Kalu, said the state had positioned itself as the innovation hub of the region.
Kalu noted that Abia had domesticated the Nigerian Startup Act through the enactment of the Abia Startup Law, making it the first state in the South-East to establish a legal framework for startups.
He highlighted several commitments by the state government, including the creation of a ₦2 billion Abia Startup Support Fund to improve access to financing for startups.
The commissioner also announced the establishment of the Abia State Startup Administration Board, which will oversee startup labelling, tax incentives and intellectual property protection.
According to him, the state is combining its traditional strengths in manufacturing and leather production with digital innovation through the development of technology parks and innovation clusters.
Kalu also referenced the recent launch of Nigeria’s first manu-tech innovation hub at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umuahia, established in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Speaking at the event, Enugu State Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Lawrence Ezeh, said innovation remains a central pillar of the state’s economic transformation agenda.
Ezeh stated that under Governor Peter Mbah’s administration, Enugu has made significant investments in digital infrastructure, smart education and startup support initiatives.
According to him, these efforts are aimed at positioning Enugu as the leading destination for technology investment in Eastern Nigeria.
He described the Africa Innovation Foundry activation as timely and called on South-East states to harmonise their policies through the proposed South-East Digital Economy Policy Roundtable.
Also speaking, the Special Assistant to the Abia State Governor on Digital Economy, Elizabeth Chijioke, said the region’s longstanding entrepreneurial and apprenticeship culture provides a strong foundation for building a technology-driven economy.
She encouraged innovators to establish cross-state partnerships and view Abia as a strategic partner for testing, scaling and commercialising innovative ideas.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Justina Eboh, said Abia’s hosting of the activation reflects a deliberate effort to build a sustainable and technology-enabled future.
She added that human capital remains the most important infrastructure for achieving prosperity in the 21st century.
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