The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), through its Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), has announced the selection of four representatives of the Startup Consultative Forum (SCF) who will serve on the National Council for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NCDIE) for the next two years.
The selected members included Founding Partner at Future Africa and co-founder of Andela and Flutterwave, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji.
Others are Co-Founder and Executive Director of Advocacy for Policy and Innovation, Victoria Manya; Founder of TechQuest, Charles Uchenna Emembolu; and Founder of Go Agent Limited, Abba Ibrahim Gamawa.
According to NITDA, the representatives will play a crucial role in shaping Nigeria’s startup ecosystem by ensuring that the voices of founders and innovators are directly reflected in national innovation policy.
They are also expected to make inputs and proposals to the NCDIE, ensuring that the objectives of the Nigeria Startup Act are effectively implemented through well-aligned policy guidelines and monitoring.
“This demonstrates the Agency’s commitment in strengthening the digital innovation ecosystem by championing increased collaboration between the government, private sector, academia and other ecosystem stakeholders, paving the way for a brighter digital future,” NITDA stated.
Signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari in October 2022, the Nigeria Startup Act provides a legal and institutional framework to support the growth of startups and foster collaboration between innovators and regulators.
The Act established the NCDIE as the principal body responsible for overseeing its implementation, alongside the Startup Consultative Forum, which serves as a bridge between policymakers and the innovation community.
By empowering ecosystem representatives to participate directly in governance, NITDA said it is ensuring that Nigeria’s digital economy policies remain responsive to the realities of startups and entrepreneurs driving technological progress in the country.
Meanwhile, as part of the Act’s implementation, NITDA said it is making progress on startup labelling, through which Nigerian startups are encouraged to get registered on the government’s portal.