Social entrepreneur and founder of Muazu Africa, Tolulope Makinwa, has shared first-hand insights into the recently-held Stakeholders Awareness Session on the Nigeria Startup Act – a joint initiative by Nigeria’s tech startup ecosystem and the Presidency to harness the potential of the country’s digital economy through co-created regulations. The Act is aimed at ensuring that Nigeria’s laws and regulations are clear, planned and work for the tech ecosystem.
Says Tolulope: “The Stakeholders Awareness Session on the Nigeria Startup Act was a great way to engage ecosystem builders on incentives, linkages and support The Act provides. I had the honor of listening to Oswald Osaretin Guobadia simplify The Act in what I would choose to tag as an exposĂ© of wild opportunities for labeled startups.
Says Oswald Osaretin Guobadia (digital evangelist, entrepreneur and author): ” It’s always a good time explaining the startup act to an audience made up of public and private sector folks. GIZ Nigeria & ECOWAS did an amazing job of curating a balance that will lead to the best collaborative outcomes.
Makinwa adds: “I also got to moderate my group’s discussion on the challenges and opportunities [that] The Act provides, with Damilola Obidairo, EMBA, CAPM, Uwemedimo Menim and other stakeholders. We critically looked into how The Act can be optimised to better serve the needs of Nigeria’s evolving start-up ecosystem (specifically for emerging innovations).
The Nigeria Startup Act was signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari on the 19th of October, 2022. Over 30 leaders in Nigeria’s tech ecosystem contributed to its drafting between June and September 2021.
- Resource: Nigeria’s Startup Act’s Impact on Innovation (by WIPO)
- Resource: Nigeria StartUp Act: Positioning the Country for the fourth revolution (by PwC)
- Resource: Download a copy of the Nigeria Startup Act