In a bid to promote Nigeria as an emerging entrepreneurial hub and leader of innovation in Africa, the Director-General, National Information Development Agency (NITDA), Mal. Kashifu Inuwa, has called Venture Garden Group to join the Bridge to MassChallenge Nigeria.
Mal. Inuwa made the call when he paid a visit to the company’s headquarters in Lagos.
According to the NITDA Boss, the bridge to MassChallenge Nigeria initiative was birthed recently to foster the growth and success of Nigeria’s startup enterprises by connecting its entrepreneurs with markets, networks, and capital in the global innovation ecosystem, and facilitate key strategies to complement growing innovation initiatives within Nigeria.
He noted that Venture Garden Group, a leading provider of innovative, data-driven solutions cannot be left out, as NITDA is keen on working with the tech community to develop use cases as the technology evolves so that everything can be regulated.
While working with stakeholders, key challenges within the Nigerian economy and challenge the startups to come up with solutions for them, NITDA urged the Venture Garden Group (VGG) to come onboard the Bridge to MassChallenge Nigeria initiative.
Responding to the DG’s demand, the Group Head, VGG, Idowu Oladiamonds, said they invest in and develop technology solutions that address inefficiencies in automation, data collection, payment and revenue assurance across multiple sectors.
Oladiamonds stated that VGG has invested in over 30 companies in various sectors including financial sector infrastructure, education, financial technology, SME-focused technology and many other initiatives.
The VGG Group Head added that foreign countries scout talents from Nigeria, offering them residential Visas and higher pay and absorb them into their countries, taking more and more talents away from Nigeria. He stated that joining the Bridge to MassChallenge initiative would be an opportunity that would benefit the Agency, companies and Nigeria’s digital economy.
“VGG is always on the hunt for talent so we hire corp members who are passionate about technology, give them time within their ability to work on real-life projects and understand what it takes to deliver proper robust software solutions within six months. It is interesting that foreign companies like Microsoft do hire some of them.” the Group Head stated.