Keturah Ovio, a recent graduate of the first cohort of Founder Institute, Lagos Chapter, has emerged one of the winners, of Africa-UK: Female Tech Founders 2020 pitch session
Keturah is the founder of Limestart, a Founder Institute portfolio company that enhances the capability, of small business owners in Africa, by digitising their records.
She recently pitched, at the Africa-UK pitch session 2020, for Female Tech Founders and was one of the winners of the pitch session. In six weeks’ time, the winners will be featuring at the UK-Africa Investment Summit, which will take place in London. The travel expenses of all the winners will be covered for the trip.
Organised by UK Nigeria Tech Hub, the program is aimed at supporting gender-inclusive economic growth, with a specific focus, on empowering women with the skills and connections, to overcome the existing digital gender gap.
Speaking during the pitch session, Harriet Thompson, British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, expressed her delight in the UK’s excitement, about Nigeria’s tech sector and how it is, already, supporting and strengthening partnerships with Nigeria.
“I am, particularly, pleased, to be hosting, as the event brings together, several personal passions: support for women, whose empowerment is vital, for Nigeria’s future prosperity and stability; support for technology entrepreneurship, which is, also, key for future growth and jobs; and support for a country, which I’ve grown to love, since my arrival in 2016”, she stated.
According to Harriet, the ICT sector accounted for over 11% of Nigeria’s GDP in 2018 (compared with 9%from oil and gas) and is the fastest-growing part of Nigeria’s economy. “Nigeria is increasing its influential role in the ICT space and this is just a reminder that tech can be a key enabler to boost Nigeria’s growth, tackle poverty and create jobs.”
The UK now has its very own Tech Hub here in Nigeria and it focuses on three key areas: skills and capability development, digital ecosystem building, and facilitating innovation collaborations between Nigerian and UK tech businesses.
According to Harriet, the hub will help to build skilled, entrepreneurial and networked populations, that will create jobs and address digital inequality.
“The team behind the Tech Hub has, already, seen the successful launch of the continent-wide Go Global, we have already supported companies, such as Riby, Innovation Corner, Social Lender and Farmcrowdy, to grow their businesses, build links with the UK’s thriving tech sector and work with UK expertise, to take their
companies to the next level.” stressed Harriet
Nigeria has one of the most exciting technology sectors, in Africa and the Tech hub, will support the growth of this thriving digital eco-system and provide support, to scale innovations and drive growth, in tech investment.
“The UK will continue to build on our current support, for fintech and other parts of the digital economy. Through the UK- Nigeria Tech Hub, DFID/EFINA tech fund, and initiatives, such as Go Global, Our new Research & Innovation Hub and new programs, such as DFID’s agritech program PLANT shows, our commitment, to
do more, in 2020 and beyond”, Harriet stressed.
According to Harriet, the UK is uniquely placed, to spearhead the digital transformation of society: we have the skills, location and language, alongside a business-friendly environment, strong access to finance and a longstanding reputation for innovation.
“We’ve seen examples of business-to-business partnerships, such as Bekoz and Interswitch, but keen to do more, to promote links with Nigeria’s vibrant start-up community, our DCMS UK-NigeriaTech Hub, to whom big thanks for organising today’s pitch event and DIT and DFID, will be taking forward”, added Harriet.
The judges present, at the pitch session, included Nkem Begho, CEO, Future Software Resources, Chidinma Iwueke, member of Pave Investment, and Chijioke Dozie, Co-founder and CEO, OneFi.
The judges, could not, but express their delight, at Keturah’s pitch, an indication that, she had gone through a structured process, under the Lagos Founder Institute program.
Are you seeking to scale your entrepreneurship journey, to the next level, apply here to experience the touch of the Founder Institute.
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