There is currently a mandate on the table of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole from President Bola Tinubu.
And he is to deliver on it in the next 180 days, making things easy for Nigerian technology and service companies.
What the president wants from the minister is to develop a roadmap for the full launch of Nigeria’s Digital Free Zones initiative.
It is with a target of making it easier for Nigerian technology and service companies to raise global capital, employ Nigerians and build for international markets.
These were contained in a statement released today by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The minister is saddled with the task being the Vice-Chairman and Implementation Coordinator of the Presidential Steering Committee on Digital Free Zones.
He is expected to accomplish on the presidential directive under the auspices of the Itana Innovation project and the committee on the plan.
“Nigeria has the talent, enterprise and ambition to build companies that can compete anywhere in the world. Our responsibility as a government is to ensure that Nigerians do not have to leave Nigeria or rely on other jurisdictions to realise that potential.
“For too long, some of our most promising young entrepreneurs have felt compelled to establish their companies and intellectual property abroad to access global capital and markets. I do not accept that this must remain the case”, the president said.
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Itana has been licensed by the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) and provides a platform for global and pan-African digital and service businesses to establish and operate from Nigeria.
The Africa Finance Corporation is backing the $500 million Itana Innovation project at Alaro City in Lagos, the statement said,
According to the president Nigerians in cities including Kano, Enugu, Warri, Minna, Maiduguri and Ibadan should be able to work for global companies without leaving home, the president envisages.
“We want African companies to be incorporated in Nigeria, financed here and governed from here, while serving markets across Africa and the world”, he added..
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