Nigeria strengthens digital economy ties with the U.S. through high-level meeting

Nigeria's Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. 'Bosun Tijani, has hosted the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce, Arun Venkataraman and his team in his office. The meeting aimed to explore opportunities for increased investment from U.S. companies in Nigeria's ICT and startup ecosystem.

The discussions centered around various areas, including Artificial Intelligence, Digital Public Infrastructure, data interoperability, and privacy. Additionally, they talked about President Biden's Digital Transformation with Africa initiative, which focuses on expanding digital access and literacy and strengthening digital enabling environments on the continent.

A key takeaway from the meeting was the potential support for the Nigeria Startup House in San Francisco. This initiative aims to assist Nigerian businesses in securing funding in and around Silicon Valley.

Dr. Tijani expressed enthusiasm for the potential collaboration, stating, "We are excited about the prospects of deepening our partnership with the U.S. in the digital economy space. The Nigeria Startup House in San Francisco will be a significant milestone in our efforts to support Nigerian businesses in accessing global funding opportunities."

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye