Four delegates were recently elected by the Startup Consultative Forum (SCF) to join Nigeria’s National Council for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NCDIE), a first for the country’s digital policy.
To facilitate more inclusive governance in the digital economy, these elected innovators will provide the Council with firsthand startup expertise as it guides the execution of the Nigeria Startup Act.
Elected Startup leaders shape Innovation policy
The elected members, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji (South West), Charles Uchenna Emembolu (South East), Abba Ibrahim Gamawa (North East), and Victoria Ojoagefu Manya (North Central), represent key geopolitical zones and the vibrant diversity of Nigeria’s startup ecosystem.
The open nomination and vote process, which was organised by NITDA’s Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), guaranteed widespread participation from the startup community.
According to the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), these representatives “are elected to represent the interests of the startup ecosystem, make input and proposals to the Council, and ensure founders and innovators contribute directly to achieving the Act’s objectives through policy guidelines and monitoring”.
Boosting collaboration between Startups and government
This inclusion reflects the government’s commitment to bridge gaps between policy and practice by engaging those driving innovation. Having startup voices in NCDIE “underscores the commitment of ONDI and NITDA to strengthening collaboration among government, innovators, and industry stakeholders,” according to NITDA, which aims to “build a thriving digital economy, nurture startups, and foster the type of collaboration that ensures innovation becomes a cornerstone of national development.”
The Council will now benefit from entrepreneurship perspectives that will affect the Nigeria Startup Act startup labelling, investment incentives, capacity development, and regulatory reforms. This election boldly moves Nigeria’s tech future towards shared leadership.