Buhari Recognises Seven ITU, WSITS Start-Up Winners

Seven Nigerian start-ups that took first place in the ITU and WSITS championships and prizes in 2020, 2021, and 2022 have received recognition from President Muhammadu Buhari.

They received prizes and commendations on Wednesday in Abuja.

Buhari noted that Nigeria can soon create people of the calibre of Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Bill Gates, saying that the winners have brought honour to the nation in the international arena.

The prizes were given out on the president's behalf by Prof. Isa Pantami, the Minister of Communications and the Digital Economy and the honours included monetary awards, commendations, and recognition awards.

The Federal Government, according to Pantami, is pleased with the worldwide award winners in the ICT and digital innovation sector in all of its categories, particularly those who received their honours while he (Pantami) is serving as the global body's Chair.

According to Pantami, for the 2022 awards, 996 applications were submitted online, of which 360 were chosen for voting.

1.3 million people voted globally in 193 member nations to determine the winners.

In order to help the winning solutions establish themselves as household names, Pantami urged the Nigerian Communications Commission, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and Galaxy Backbone Limited to choose them.

He claims that Buhari is currently considering the Start-up Bill, which would represent a significant accomplishment for the administration because it contains elements that would fundamentally alter the industry in terms of benefits, incentives, loans, and grants.

“The Start-ups Bill when passed into law will become the major achievement of the digital transformation era of President Buhari because there are provisions in the Bill that will change the narratives of the sector.

“There will be a Council on Start-ups and President Buhari as the Chairman.

“The Private sector will collaborate with government to address challenges and proffer solutions to make Nigeria produce her own Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg,” Pantami said.

The winners are Afrilingo, an ICT start-up for Indigenous Language and e-empowerment in 2020 by Franca Igwe, Women's Technology Empowerment Centre, 2020, Category Three for access to information and knowledge, and Chipsbrain Nigeria, 2020, Category Seven for an e-health start-up by Oluwaseyi Akinola.

Others included Special Needs Initiative for Growth (Africa), Career development initiative for mothers with cerebral palsy children in Nigeria, Category six, enabling environment by Rachel Inegbedion, and Association of Women in Technology in Nigeria, Category seven, 2022, ICT applications e-empowerment by Martha Alade.

The final two categories were Wizwish International Farm, Category Seven, E-Business by Wisdom Ikpechukwu, and Top-up and Get Reward Limited, Teleconomy, 2021, Category Two; ICT infrastructure by Samuel Babatunde, and Green Fresh Nigeria.

In response, Martha Alade spoke on behalf of the winners and praised the current administration for its enthusiasm and dedication to the expansion and development of the digital economy, noting that start-up owners were both moved and overwhelmed by the government's commitment.