Solution Innovation District (SID) engages the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council

Solution Innovation District led by Ms. Chinwe Okoli, engaged with the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council today as her office continues the awareness drive for SID across the State. The engagement was focused on the details of the grand vision of Mr. Governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo C.F.R, for the Innovation and Business Incubation Program. The goal was to acquaint the Traditional Rulers with the program, the expected impact, and how they can support it.

Ms. Okoli expressed profound appreciation to the Chairman of the Anambra State Traditional Ruler Council (ASTRC), His Royal Highness, Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe (Agbogidi), the Obi of Onitsha, for giving her the opportunity to interact with the Council members. She engaged the Council on the key programs of SID, the expected impact, and particularly the roles the Royal Fathers need to play towards the success of the program especially in their various communities.  

She maintained that the Solution Innovation District is a life-changing initiative for Ndi Anambra, championed by the visionary Leader  Professor C. C. Soludo. She emphasized the disruptions of the digital era, the impact on our lifestyles, the way we work, and the way we do business highlighting why Anambra needs to be at the forefront of digital innovation and globally-focused entrepreneurship. She explained the potential positive impact of the interventions of SID on unemployment,  job opportunities, and the overarching vision of building a prosperous and liveable homeland.

She stated that there is no job, and many youths are unemployed but there are many jobs in the technology and innovation ecosystem noting that the job is for those who are technologically skilled and qualified. And on that note, the Solution Innovation District is on a mission to train and mentor Ndi Anambra on digital skills,  enhance their employability, and expose them to job opportunities from around the world. 

Hon. Chinwe Okoli outlined the range of the Solution Innovation District programs: We are on a mission to raise the Anambra Digital Tribe, Ndi Anambra, who will be trained on digital skills such that we have a community of experts in various skills such as cybersecurity, machine learning, blockchain, digital marketing, web design, graphic design, and many more; to train, mentor, and groom technology-startups in Anambra State, Ndi Anambra who transform ideas to solutions; to train, mentor and support entrepreneurs and SMEs on entrepreneurial skills, process, and the know-how to scale their businesses. Speaking on finance, she called on the Royal Fathers to support SID by helping build the network of angel investors, people that will invest in the businesses and the startups as they become ripe for investment. She called on the ASTRC members to strongly advocate for their industrious sons and daughters in their respective communities to take up the project of establishing SID mini hubs in their communities to help democratize innovation in the State.

She concluded by calling on ASTRC to help disseminate information that one of the SID programs, Anambra Digital Tribe, has already started with LevelUp Anambra which was formally launched by Mr. Governor in March. This virtual program targets to train 20,000 youths on digital skills in partnership with Microsoft and Wootlab Foundation. The LevelUp Anambra Cohort 1 training has ended, and the Cohort 2 call for applications, which opened on May 1, 2023, is still ongoing. 

Finally, the Chairman of the ASTRC, H.R.H Igwe Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, extended his appreciation to Mr. Governor for this timely initiative corroborating the importance. He thanked the Special Adviser Hon. Chinwe Okoli for the innovative programs mapped out for the Ndi Anambra and pledged his unalloyed support to advocate for the SID programs which he has already started. He called on the Traditional Rulers to embrace this project and give it full support to help achieve the vision of making Anambra the digital and creative capital of Nigeria which will benefit all and sundry. 

The ASTRC members welcomed this noble project and pledged their full support to the Special Adviser as they expressed their gratitude to Mr. Governor for this future-forward project.