Professor Chukwuma Soludo, Anambra State Governor, has intensified efforts to position the state as a leading technology and innovation hub with a combined digital investment package worth over ₦1.08 billion.
The investments, covering startup financing, broadband expansion and technology talent development, were unveiled during the Anambra Startup Investment and Technology Skills Graduation Ceremony held at the Solution Innovation District (SID), where 400 technology professionals graduated, 80 startups received seed funding, and a private-sector partner announced a fresh ₦1 billion commitment to broadband infrastructure expansion across the state.
The event marked the graduation of 300 Robotics Engineers trained through a partnership between SID and Circum Technologies, alongside the first cohort of 100 Internet Service Provider (ISP) Network Engineers trained in collaboration with Connekt Broadband.
Champions of the Anambra Digital Tribe programme were also presented with laptop computers in recognition of their outstanding performance.
“We are not waiting for Silicon Valley to come to us. We are building our own,” Soludo said.
Anambra: ₦80 million startup funding disbursed
A major highlight of the ceremony was the disbursement of seed funding to 80 startups under the state’s innovation support programme.
Each startup received ₦1 million in seed capital, bringing the total startup investment to ₦80 million.
The funding is expected to support early-stage ventures, accelerate product development, stimulate entrepreneurship and create employment opportunities within Anambra’s growing innovation ecosystem.
The startup financing formed part of a broader package aimed at strengthening the state’s technology ecosystem through a combination of skills development, infrastructure investment and enterprise support.
Connekt Broadband commits ₦1 billion to connectivity expansion
Further boosting Anambra’s digital ambitions, Connekt Broadband announced a ₦1 billion Connectivity Fund to support broadband deployment across the state’s 21 local government areas.
The investment is expected to expand internet access, strengthen digital inclusion and provide critical infrastructure needed to support technology-driven businesses and innovation activities across the state.
According to SID, the initiative will also create opportunities for newly trained network engineers to participate in broadband deployment projects, provide technical services and establish technology-focused enterprises.
With 400 newly trained technology professionals entering the workforce, ₦80 million in startup capital already disbursed and a ₦1 billion broadband fund earmarked for connectivity expansion, Anambra is significantly deepening its push to become one of Nigeria’s leading centres for digital innovation.
Governor Soludo described the state’s innovation drive in a brief but emphatic statement.
“We are not waiting for Silicon Valley to come to us. We are building our own,” Soludo said.
The governor said the investments reflect Anambra’s broader strategy of combining digital skills development, startup financing and infrastructure expansion to drive economic growth through technology.
“This is what it looks like when government, industry, and innovation come together to build talent, create jobs, fund entrepreneurs, and expand digital infrastructure,” he said.
SID driving Anambra’s innovation ecosystem
The Solution Innovation District, an initiative of the Anambra State Government, serves as the state’s flagship technology and innovation ecosystem.
SID describes itself as a community of innovators, technologists, entrepreneurs, investors, government agencies and academic institutions working collaboratively to develop solutions to local and global challenges.
Its programmes span digital skills training, startup incubation, business acceleration and investment support.
The graduation ceremony builds on the state’s broader digital transformation agenda, including the 1 Million Anambra Digital Tribe initiative, which seeks to equip one million residents with digital skills and improve access to opportunities in the technology economy.
The programme forms part of Governor Soludo’s vision of positioning Anambra as a leading innovation and technology destination in Africa.
Anambra has also continued to invest in physical innovation infrastructure. Earlier this year, the state government commenced the transformation of the former Government House site in Awka into the permanent headquarters of the Solution Innovation District.
Officials say the development is designed to support the growth of a technology-driven economy and strengthen the state’s long-term innovation capacity.
The latest graduation and funding programme represents one of the largest single-day technology talent and startup support initiatives undertaken by the Anambra State Government, combining skills development, entrepreneurship financing and broadband infrastructure expansion under a single platform.
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