Poised to increase the number of Technology startups in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT), in the state and taping into the $34b innovation economy, the Ogun State government, has entered into a strategic partnership with GetFundedAfrica.

The Chief Press Secretary to Ogun State Governor, Kunle Somorin stated this in a statement signed yesterday during a stakeholders meeting, held at Ogun TechHub, Kobape, Abeokuta.

Somorin revealed that the partnership is to enable Ogun State benefit from the huge venture capital flows, noted that the partnership is in fulfilment of Gov. Dapo Abiodun’s developmental initiatives, leveraging on technology and innovations to build Nigeria’s first Silicon Valley.

He explained that GetFundedAfrica is a Pan-African venture service platform that has helped African startups, investors, corporate, government bodies to raise over $150m in 2021.

Speaking, the Commissioner for Finance and Chief Economic Adviser to the governor, Dapo Okubadejo, said the partnership was already yielding fruit as 20 startups are in the process of relocating to Ogun TechHub in Abeokuta, saying this would boost the socio-economic system of the state.

“The first batch of 20 startups cut across Fintech, Agritech, Healthtech, Software Development, Training and Talent Recruitment from Nigeria, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, (UAE), Kenya and Germany. So, GetFundedAfrica will make available the fund raising, mentorship, among others, while Ogun State will support with visa, insurance, office spaces, utilities and more.” Okubadejo said.

Special Adviser to the governor on ICT, Dayo Abiodun, emphasized that Ogun State government is focused on unlocking a $34 billion innovation economy and happy to partner with GetFundedAfrica to achieve the ICT objectives set up by Governor Dapo Abiodun.

He revealed that Startups can apply and to be considered to access funding in order to be incubated into the TechHub.

Chief Commercial Officer, GetFundedAfrica, Tunji Oke, hinted that in the next 36 months, no fewer than 400 startups from across Africa would be brought to the state towards unlocking billions of dollars in the innovation economy.