Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has restated his administration’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for technology-oriented companies and others to thrive in the state.
Makinde stated this at the weekend while delivering a remark at the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Nigeria Summit 1.0 with the theme “The Rain of Transformation Is Upon Us: CEOs Arise,” held in Ibadan, the state capital.
The summit was attended by key stakeholders, including the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani.
Speaking at the summit, Makinde, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Information Communication Technology, Mr Bayo Akande, said the government had undertaken several efforts towards making the state a conducive environment for technological innovations.
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He added that his administration has remained focused on creating and nurturing a supportive ecosystem for tech-driven initiatives.
He said, “There are few things that the state government is doing such as creating an enabling environment for companies like RAIN to thrive.
“This is very important and we have built institutes like Seyi Makinde Innovation and Technology Hub (SMITH), which helps in training students in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.
“If you look at our tertiary institutions, we have brought in digital tools to unify our students’ information and management system, which enables companies like RAIN and others.
“This is a discussion we are looking to have to then put some of their courses on platforms like this, which can give it a wider reach to citizens of Oyo State in partnership with RAIN.
“Oyo State, as at a year ago, charged about N145 per linear meter. That’s in line with the NCC suggested rate.
“So, we are fully keyed into that to ease the cost of doing business for people who are trying to deliver infrastructure.”
Earlier, the summit convener, Dr Olusola Ayoola, said that the RAIN summit was convened to bring innovators, entrepreneurs and youths together.
“The entrepreneurs are the ones that will pursue the commercial aspect of learning and development of our society while the young people are the ones that represent the human capacity to develop such solutions,” Ayoola said.
He emphasised the importance of technology as a transformative force, stating that “technology is not just a tool; it is the backbone of our progress.”
Ayoola called for partnerships and collaborations among stakeholders to harness technological advancements for national development.
He articulated a vision where technology serves as a bridge to opportunities, saying, “We must leverage our collective expertise to turn challenges into opportunities for our youths.”
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