Events
#StartupSouth4 to host Startup Leaders, Investors & Government Officials In Owerri


On November 2, 2018, Owerri the capital of Imo State will play host to #StartupSouth4 – arguably the biggest Startup and Entrepreneurship conference in the South-South and South-East.
Every year, #StartupSouth brings together the brightest startup founders, leading entrepreneurs, early stage investors, policy makers and startup incubators to a city in the South-South or South-East and allow them to connect, learn from each other and most importantly for founders in the region to secure investment.
It is also an opportunity to showcase the cities in the South-South/South-East and promote their potentials to potential investors. Participants at this year’s edition will have the opportunity to tour Owerri and enjoy a boat ride on the famous Oguta Lake.
After the last edition at Aba, two startups have gone on to raise combined $40,000 with another raising a follow-on seed of more than $20,000.
Cumulatively, over $350,000 has been raised by #StartupSouth Alums with several more currently at different stages of deal negotiations.
“The main objective is to educate, connect and attract investment to Startups and Founders in the regions.”
The theme of this year is Nichely, Strongly, Global – an exploration of how cities within the region can go niche, amplifying their positions of strength to compete favorably in an interconnected globlized world.
#StartupSouth4 will provide a unique opportunity for startups to connect with investors, strategic partners, leading incubators/accelerators, and professional service firms from within and across the regions.
“The conference”, the Convener, Uche Aniche said, will feature Fireside chats with Successful Startup Founders, Policy Makers and Investors from across the world, Pitch Sessions, third party content/panel programming, Networking and post conference party and a boat cruise at the beauteous Oguta Lake.
Worthy of note is that this year, #StartupSouth is taking experimental steps to becoming an Event-as-a-Platform model featuring contents by partnering organisations. Brands, business communities, associations and anyone with a great content proposal capable of adding value to the participants (especially the Startup/SME communities) will be reviewed and approved.
The regular pre-conferences (now #Foretaste) – a pre-event/Tour of Ten different cities within the region – is scheduled to start on July 20, 2018 in Port Harcourt.
#StartupSouth4 #Foretaste enlists a set of exciting activities leading up to the main event featuring Business Townhall meetings, Panel Session, interviews, Product presentation by partners, gifts and more.
Some invited guests #StartupSouth4 include His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria (unconfirmed), DG of SMEDAN, Governors and Representatives of Government of States in the South-South and South-East, Heads of Corporations and the Organised Private Sector Leaders.
Others include Mr. Innocent Chukwuma, Regional Director, West Africa, Ford Foundation; Mr. Collins Onuegbu, Vice-Chairman, Signal Alliance & Director, Lagos Angel Network; Jason Njoku, Founder IROKOtv; Bosun Tijani, Co-Founder, CCHub; Rotimi Williams, Founder, Kereksuk Rice Farms; Yewande Kazeem, Founder, Wandie Media; Onyeka Akumah, founder, FarmCrowdy and many more.
Register here.
#StartupSouth is a Startup/Entrepreneurship ecosystem development and intervention project focusing on the South-South and South-East.
The simple goal of #StartupSouth is to Connect Startups and Founders residing and operating out of South-South and South-East Nigeria, Expose/Educate and Attract Investment to them. StartupSouth started as an event in 2015 but have since evolved to include startup mentoring, training, funding and now, city business discovery project. source: Techeconomy.ng
Events
NOTAP Announces Plan for 2025 Technology and Innovation Summit
….Harnessing R&D and Innovation Potentials of Nigeria’s STI Ecosystem


The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has announced the forthcoming NOTAP Technology and Innovation Summit (NTIS 2025), scheduled to hold on Thursday, 6th and Friday, 7th November 2025 at THE HALL, 16 Musa Yar’Adua Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, commencing daily at 9:00 AM.
Themed “Harnessing R&D and Innovation Potentials of Nigeria’s STI Ecosystem,” the two-day summit will convene key leaders from government, private sector, academia, development partners, and the startup ecosystem to explore strategies for strengthening Nigeria’s innovation landscape and positioning the nation as a hub for technology-driven economic growth.
Speaking on the upcoming summit, Dr. Lady Obiageli Amadiobi, the director-general of NOTAP, emphasized that the forum will serve as a strategic platform to foster dialogue and action around innovation policy, technology transfer, intellectual property, and commercialization.
“Our goal is to accelerate the transformation of research and creativity into commercially viable enterprises that drive national development,” she noted.
Summit Highlights
The NOTAP Technology and Innovation Summit 2025 will feature:
- Ministerial Address and Keynote Sessions by renowned leaders in innovation, policy, and technology.
- High-Level Panel Discussions on key themes such as technology transfer, intellectual property sovereignty, and building an AI-ready human resources.
- Launching of Project NOVA (Nigeria’s Outsourcing Value Acceleration) and promotion of the NOTAP Local Vendor Policy (LVP) across all sectors of the economy.
- Workshops and Breakout Sessions on IP management, funding access, and talent development.
- Exhibitions and Innovation Showcases, featuring startups, research institutions, and technology companies.
- Hackathon and Pitch Showcase, for emerging innovators and young entrepreneurs.
- Networking and Partnership Sessions to foster collaboration across sectors.
The Summit will also host a Special Exhibition Pavilion to highlight Nigeria’s emerging technologies, research outputs, and development partnerships, reflecting NOTAP’s commitment to bridging the gap between invention and commercialization.
Partnership and Collaborations
The event is organized by the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) in partnership with Crestsage Limited and collaboration with stakeholders, to ensure a world-class experience that aligns with NOTAP’s mission of accelerating technology, promoting innovation and sustainable development across Nigeria.
The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) is a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, mandated to regulate the acquisition of foreign technology, promote local research, and encourage the development and commercialization of indigenous technologies. Through strategic partnerships, policy advocacy, and capacity development, NOTAP continues to play pivotal roles in advancing Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.
Events
Ortom, NOA DG, others to feature as Panelists at GOCOP 2025 Conference


The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) has announced that Chief Samuel Ortom, former Governor of Benue State, will serve as one of the panelists at the upcoming GOCOP 2025 Conference.
The conference theme is “Reconciling Campaign Promises with Governance Realities: Challenges and Prospects.”
A press statement by GOCOP publicity secretary, Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, disclosed that the panel discussion will feature esteemed panelists, including Prof. Abiodun Adeniyi, Registrar, Base University, Abuja; Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika,2025 Director, Institute of Continuing Education (UNILAG); and Alhaji Lanre Issa-Orilu, Director-General, National Orientation Agency.
The conference, he said, will take place on October 9, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
He recalled that GOCOP had earlier announced that the keynote speaker will be Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and immediate past Governor of Katsina State.
Events
Takang, Ladid Lead Africa’s Digital Sovereignty Debate At DACE 2025


How can Africa remain safe and powerful in a world being rapidly redefined by Artificial Intelligence?
That pressing question will take centre stage at the 13th Digital Africa Conference & Exhibition (DACE), scheduled for October 28–29, 2025, in Abuja.
The two-day gathering will be anchored by two powerhouse keynote speakers: Dr. Armstrong Takang on Day 1 and Prof. Latif Ladid on Day 2, each bringing unique expertise to Africa’s digital sovereignty conversation.
Dr. Armstrong Takang, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), will open the conference with a keynote that situates Africa’s digital sovereignty within the broader context of economic reform, institutional innovation, and strategic governance.
A consummate professional and visionary thinker, Dr. Takang has spent decades bridging the gap between public reform and private investment across Africa and the United States. Before his current role at MOFI, he served as Special Adviser to the Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, where he led the MOFI Transformation Team.
His career includes leading Growth Alliance Partners (GAP), a pan-African firm that helped turn around several businesses to create shareholder value, and working at KPMG in New York.
He has been instrumental in designing and implementing key national initiatives such as the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), the Voluntary Asset and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS), and the ICT components of EFCC/NFIU systems.
Dr. Takang has also chaired national ICT committees and contributed to landmark policies, including Nigeria’s Content Development in ICT and the country’s 50-year Development Plan. His keynote will highlight how digital and financial sovereignty intersect to secure Africa’s long-term competitiveness.
On the other hand, Prof. Latif Ladid, Founder & President of the IPv6 Forum and Chair of the AI & Blockchain Global Forum, brings decades of global leadership in internet architecture, digital policy, and emerging technologies.
His expertise spans across pivotal roles from IEEE Future Networks to the Internet Society, 3GPP, and EU research on next-generation networks.
Organizers say his keynote will set the tone for the conference, unpacking how Africa can assert digital sovereignty, safeguard its data, and lead in shaping the ethics and standards of AI on the global stage.
“This year’s theme, ‘Sovereign Intelligence: Africa’s Voice in the Global Digital Order,’ isn’t just a concept, it’s a necessity,” said Dr. Evans Woherem, Chairman of Digital Africa Consult. “Prof. Ladid’s keynote will highlight what it takes for Africa to remain safe, independent, and powerful in the new AI era.”
At a time when global powers are racing to define AI norms and secure digital dominance, Africa risks being left behind if it fails to act. Much of its technology remains imported, its data stored abroad, and its languages invisible in mainstream AI systems.
DACE 2025 is designed to change this narrative, by equipping Africa with the tools, strategies, and partnerships to become a proactive co-author of the digital future.
The conference will feature high-level dialogues on digital sovereignty, policy innovation, and cross-border cooperation, alongside exhibitions of homegrown startups, developer workshops, and showcases of African-built AI tools for health, agriculture, finance, and education.
Beyond the panels and showcases, DACE 2025 is expected to produce a concrete roadmap for Africa’s digital sovereignty.
“This isn’t just about technology,” noted Woherem. “It’s about agency, safety, and independence. With Prof. Ladid setting the stage, we hope to leave Abuja with a united vision of Africa’s place in the global AI order.”
With delegates expected from across Africa and the world, the two-day gathering promises to be a defining moment in the continent’s digital journey.
-
Sports14 hours ago
Breaking: Osimhen Runs Riot as Super Eagles Crush Benin in Crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier
-
Events4 days ago
NOTAP Announces Plan for 2025 Technology and Innovation Summit
-
Entertainment4 days ago
African Voices Highlights Tems’s Path of Passion and Purpose
-
Sports14 hours ago
South Africa Book Spot at 2026 World Cup After Crucial Win Over Rwanda
-
GRPolitics14 hours ago
Why I Left PDP for APC – Governor Peter Mbah
-
Education1 day ago
Values for Daily Living Announces Winners of National Essay Competition, as VDL Ambassadors Emerge
-
News2 days ago
NOA Tasks Media Practitioners to Probe Manifestos of Aspiring Political Office Holders
-
GRPolitics2 days ago
GOCOP CONFAB25: Ex-Speaker, Aminu Masari, Lists Four Conditions to Bridge Gap Between Campaign Promises, Realities