Kwara partners NIBT to create jobs through technological advancement
The Kwara State Government, through the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Technology, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Board for Technology Incubation (NIBT), an agency under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Abuja, aiming to drive economic growth, create jobs and foster entrepreneurship in the state.
The Commissioner for Business, Innovation, and Technology, Hon. Damilola Yusuf Adelodun, signed the MoU recently at the Ministry’s conference room.
The Commissioner reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to providing a conducive environment for startups, entrepreneurs, and innovators to thrive while describing the signing as a significant milestone in the state’s efforts to promote innovation and technology, highlighting Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s investments in developmental projects, including the Kwara State Information Technology Hub, which is set for commissioning.
She noted that the hub would create job opportunities and enhance skills acquisition for the state’s teeming youths.
Speaking at the event, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs Mary Kemi Adeoshun, emphasised the state government’s dedication to capital projects that benefit youths, women, and vulnerable groups and expressed hope for a smooth and productive collaboration with NIBT.
In his keynote address, the Director General/Chief Executive of the National Board for Technology Incubation, Engr. Dr. Kazeem Kolawole Raji commended Governor AbdulRazaq for fostering an enabling business environment in Kwara. She praised the Ministry’s efforts in facilitating the MoU, stating that the partnership marks the beginning of a shared commitment to achieving common goals.
Engr. Raji noted that the NIBT Centre, established in 2009, plays a crucial role in wealth creation, self-sustainability, poverty reduction, and the commercialisation of research and development outcomes.
He expressed gratitude to the state government for supporting the centre through various interventions, including the provision of accommodation facilities, installation of MD meters, grants for entrepreneurs to upscale their products, loan disbursements through Kwara State Social Investment Programmes (KWASSIP), participation in the annual trade fair and infrastructure projects such as drainage construction.
