Nigeria Innovation Summit 2018 Communiqué

Theme: Building a Culture of Innovation in Nigeria for Sustainable Economic Growth.

The 2018 edition of the Nigeria Innovation Summit with the theme: ‘Building a Culture of Innovation in Nigeria for Sustainable Economic Growth’, organized by Emerging Media, held at Ventures Parks, Maitama and Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre on September 25-26, 2018 was successfully concluded with the participation of over 400 delegates and stakeholders. The delegates cut across Federal and State government, International organisations, Diplomats, businesses, investors, academia, research communities, business leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, students and from within and outside Nigeria in attendance.

The overall objective of the summit focuses on the need for the country, businesses, organisations, entrepreneurs in Nigeria to become more innovative and apply innovation to drive sustainable development and bridge the digital divide. In collaborating with the International Society for Professional Innovation Management, UK, and the Research Institute for Innovation and Sustainability, South Africa, and SA Innovation Summit, we are bringing all the ideas from the Summit to practical application across the focused sectors.

The Summit program included Workshops on Innovation Management facilitated by ISPIM, Keynote Sessions, Panel Discussions/Interactive Sessions which focused on: Collaboration To Build The Future of Nigeria Through Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Building a Culture of Innovation in Nigeria for Sustainable Economic Growth; and The Future of Innovations, Collaborations and Opportunities for Nigeria and Africa. There were also Networking Session, Start-ups and Innovative Business Presentations and the Nigeria Innovation Awards.

The speakers include: Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, EVC, Nigeria Communications Commission;  Dr. Audrey Verhaeghe, Chairperson, South Africa (SA) Innovation Summit; Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami , DG/CEO, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA); Bobby Moroe, Acting South African High Commissioner to the Nigeria; Richard Ough, Economic Development Team Leader & Senior Economic Adviser, DFID Nigeria; Stella Bida, Senior Managing Partner at Innovation.Strategy.Results, Belgium; Engr. (Prof) Okechukwu F. Ukwuoma, DG, NACETEM; Kola Aina, CEO/Founder, Emerging Platform, Abuja; Bruno Woeran, Director Project Development for, International Society for Professional Innovation Management, ISPIM, UK; Rubin Rose and Satya Mekala of International Account Manager, World Telecom Labs, Belgium; Abayomi Baiyere, Assistant Professor of Digitalization at Copenhagen Business School; Dr. (Mrs) Wakawa, R. C. and Mr, Yusuff Adeleke of NACETEM.

The following are the submissions and recommendations from the Summit:

*To build a culture of innovation in Nigeria, we must build strong institutions that will nurture and grow these innovations, strengthen and reposition the existing ones institutions.

* Nigeria is in dire need of growing her own innovative and disruptive ideas that will transform the country and bring in foreign investments.

*We can transform the economy by producing a quality technology-based entrepreneurship pipeline and attract foreign and local investment, and hence become a giant accelerator to Nigeria’s economy.

*The Summit in partnership with ISPIM was ready to connect Nigeria entrepreneurs and innovators with the rest of the world, where they can get funding and also bring their innovative ideas to the global stage.

* Nigerian youths should be supported and encouraged to embrace technology, innovation and entrepreneurship so as to build the future of Nigeria.

* The Summit organisers are working with innovation ecosystems around the world to support Nigerian Innovators through the African Innovation Academy (http://africaninnovation.academy) and promoting Open Innovation in collaboration with the Research Institute for Innovation and Sustainability, South Africa, which will encourage corporate, small business and start up innovations.

*The Summit has developed a strategic plan to harvest innovations in all geo-political zones in the country and address the issue of innovation deficit through a national wide innovation challenge. We are focusing more on home grown technological innovations that are strategically designed to solve unique Nigerian problems, and are open to partner with organizations, government agencies and companies to achieve this project.

The Summit ended with the presentation of Nigeria innovation Awards to  many organisations: Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) For Enabling Telecommunication Innovation In Nigeria; Dr. Audrey Verhaeghe For Her Effort in Promoting Open Innovation in Africa; Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, For His Pioneering Effort in Technology Development in Nigeria through NITDA; DFID Nigeria For Their Strategic Partnerships in Supporting and Promoting Innovation in Nigeria; Stella Bida For Her Global Effort in Promoting Innovation; Bobby Moroe For His Passion For Africa’s Industrialization; Kola Aina For His Effort in Startup Development in Nigeria; International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM) For Championing Innovation Management Around the World; and National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM) For Their Effort in Promoting Technology Management in Nigeria.

The Nigeria Innovation Summit, a delegates from  South Africa, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, British High Commission/DFID,  South African High Commission, French Embassy in Nigeria, NCC, NITDA, NACETEM, Nigeria internet Registration Association (NiRA), and delegates from several government agencies, representatives from several states, academic communities and research institutes, international organisations and top private companies.