The Ogun State Government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are to cooperate in the areas of economic development and technology.
This was stated at a stakeholders’ meeting between UNDP team, led by Chief Innovative Officer, Mr. Williams Tsuma and heads of Ogun State government agencies, led by Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Dapo Okubadejo.
Speaking at the event, Okubadejo underscored the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration’s forward-looking vision for the state’s future with particular focus on infrastructure, even as he highlighted the significance of data and knowledge acquisition for informed decision-making and policy formulation.
Okubadejo stressed the importance of partnerships and acknowledged the pivotal role of youths in propelling development and growth, emphasizing the state’s intent to leverage UNDP’s support in all sphere of human endeavours.
He affirmed the state’s preparedness to collaborate with UNDP, citing shared interests such as creating an enabling environment for business, fostering Public-Private partnerships for state development, and ensuring the prosperity of the people.
“We as a state are ready to partner with UNDP as we are aware that this body is well positioned to support sub-nationals such as Ogun State and coincidentally quite a lot of the areas discussed are the specific interest in our vision such as creating an enabling environment for business, the Public Private Partnership for the development of the state and the prosperity of the people of the state,” Okubadejo stated.
In his remarks, Mr. Tsuma praised Ogun State for its relatable vision and outlined UNDP’s focus on creating an integrated team for priority areas, which includes macroeconomic planning, inclusive growth, financing frameworks, as well as support in climate and energy sustainability.
He emphasized UNDP’s commitment to supporting the Nigerian government as well as sub-nationals in tackling development challenges, adding that the organization aims to achieve this by fortifying and establishing institutions that champion inclusive sustainable development and democratic governance.
He noted that the meeting was informed by the need for African nations to generate a smart- niche based development plan, which are agile and responsive to risk and well as contingencies for unplanned events.
“It’s so exciting to note that Ogun State’s agenda on employment generation, education, climate, and agriculture is closely aligned with UNDP’s goals,” Tsuma stated.
The UNDP team also visited
the Bureau of Information Technology (BIT), at Ogun techHub, Kobape, Abeokuta, where it indicated interest in boosting the technology initiatives of the Ogun State Government.
Tsuma, who spoke during the familirisation visit, commended the state government for tapping into the trending technological innovations, expressing delight for the establishment of Ogun techHub with state-of-the-art facilities and the surrounding environment.
Williams said: ”We are here in Ogun State to see by ourselves the tremendous innovations on ground. We are amazed with the Ogun TecHub, which is equipped with necessary technology gadgets.
“The facilities here make it an incubation centre for entrepreneurs in tech and the creative industry. I want to say that it is worthwhile partnering Ogun State Government to further boost this initiative.”
While revealing the aim of the visit, Umar said it was to ascertain what UNDP has heard about the state in terms of technology development and know the areas to support.
He said: “Our organisation wishes to reconnect the missing link between young entrepreneurs and tech marketers such as Google, Meta, Microsoft, among others towards the world capital of technology.”
Responding, Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Mr. Dayo Abiodun, represented by the Director, Standard Regulations, Planning and Research, Olatundun Adekunte expressed the preparedness of the state government to accommodate investors.
This, he said, is to reduce unemployment and brain drain among the youths, as well as transforming the state to tech solution centres both locally and internationally.
Also speaking, the Co- founder of GetFundedAfrica, Adebowale Omololu, noted that Ogun State is one of the best states in Nigeria where investors have good ambience to operate which also makes organisation grow.
