All is set for 2014 Innovation Forum in Tinapa

DigitalSENSE Business News:

All is now set for the 2014 Innovation Forum to be hosted by the Cross Rivers State Government in collaboration with Microsoft Nigeria and Nokia West Africa on Friday, April 11 at the Tinapa Lakeside Hotel in Calabar, reports DigitalSENSE Business News.

This year’s Innovation Forum also endears the partnership of Dahlberg, a global development advisor to the event, which is expected to focus on ICT innovation in education and agriculture as key drivers of national development in Nigeria.

DigitalSENSE Business News also reports that the forum will be a boost to public private partnerships (PPP) clamour in the country, while stakeholders across governments, SMEs, academia, civil society and local entrepreneurs are expected to grace the event.

Confirming to DigitalSENSE Business News the readiness of Cross River State government to host this forum, the special adviser on ICT to the Governor, Mr. Effiong Odoh, said they are delighted to be the host for this year, even as they had earlier focus on dependence and oil.

“We want to see how technology can be used to change the mentality of our people and reposition farmers in the State, who make about 70 per cent of the population,” he said, stressing that they are excited to partner with Nokia, Microsoft and other stakeholders who are interested in using ICT to change the life of the people for better.

In Cross River State, he told DigitalSENSE Business News  that they are re-strategizing on ICT usage.

“We’re thinking outside the box by not depending on oil as the only source of revenue or to build our developmental plans on oil. For instance, 60 out of 242 public schools in the State have been upgraded with ICT facilities to meet the educational quests of our people,” he said, pointing that the State had previously aligned with Microsoft on several areas to bring about maximize technological trends to improve on educational system of the people.

Director, Public Sector, Microsoft Nigeria, Mr. Chuma Ukeagu also told DigitalSENSE Business News that the platform is of national relevance as issues to be discussed rotate around e-health, e-governance, agriculture, and education to name a few.

He cited for instance, that the unemployment situation in the country should be seen from the perspective of curriculum disconnect.

“So, we in Microsoft have discovered that one of the ways to address this challenge is by digitizing the curriculum,” he said, adding that Microsoft is working on ensuring that information on starting up a business, writing a business oriented proposal are readily available and accessible, hence, they dedicated a portal to that effect.

For the head, Corporate Affairs, Microsoft Nigeria, Mrs. Ijeoma Abazie, told DigitalSENSE Business News that at least 12 developers are been expected to make solution presentations on education and agricultural in general.

She revealed that some of the developers have already demonstrated and implemented such solutions in other States of the federation. 

DigitalSENSE Business News also gathered from her that the Forum was introduced in 2012 and this year, will be focusing on agriculture and discussing it on a national scale and zero-in on Cross River State.

“The forum dwells on the usage of innovations and technology orientation solutions to spur our national competitiveness. Developers are coming with their solutions to give farmers hope, among other important discussions to be looked at,” she said, emphasizing that studies have actually shown the link between ICT and national competitiveness hence the imperativeness of the Forum in driving Federal Government’s vision 20:2020 agenda.

Nokia’s perspective at the press meeting and senior product manager, Nokia West Africa, , Mr. Olumide Balogun, told DigitalSENSE Business News that they at Nokia see the Innovation Forum 2014 as “invention inclined.”

Mr. Balogun further said it’s an opportunity to reach out to the software developers’ community, aiding them to articulate solutions capable of re-inventing the primary economic sectors to be focused on at the Innovation Forum.

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Pix: L-r: enior product manager, Nokia West Africa, Mr. Olumide Balogun, Director, Public Sector, Microsoft Nigeria, Mr. Chuma Ukeagu, Head, Corporate Affairs, Microsoft Nigeria, Mrs. Ijeoma Abazie, and special adviser on ICT Cross River State Governor, Mr. Effiong Odoh.