The Government of Anambra State has announced the opening of applications for a startup competition tagged ‘Battle4Solutions’ through which it intends to award over N100 million in prizes to participating Nigerian startups.
Special Adviser to Anambra State Governor on Innovation and Business Incubation, Chinwe Okoli, announced this on Tuesday during a press conference on the State’s forthcoming Innovation Week.
According to her, the Anambra Innovation Week (AIW) will be focusing on growth through bold ideas, talent, technology, and invention highlighted by the State’s flagship competition.
“Battle4Solutions is an innovation competition with a prize pool of over one hundred million naira in cash prizes.
“This competition invites Nigeria’s brightest startups to pitch solutions addressing critical societal challenges in various sectors such as digital health, renewable energy, e-commerce, agritech, fintech, environment, education, etc.,” she stated.
Open to startups across Nigeria
Emphasizing that the competition is not limited to startups based in the state but across Nigeria, Okoli said:
“Innovators both in Anambra and across Nigeria are eligible to apply and compete in the Battle4Solutions.”
- She added that government ministries, agencies, academic institutions, startups, and creators are all welcome to participate in their categories of competition.
- She noted that interested Nigerian startups can apply to participate in the competition via the AIW website.
Anambra Startup law
Highlighting the efforts of the State Government in supporting the startup ecosystem, Okoli said the State is now working to domesticate the Nigeria Startup Act (NSA) through its Anambra Startup Law.
“Our mandate encompasses nurturing the “Anambra Digital Tribe,” supporting the startup ecosystem, incubating promising ventures, fostering research commercialization, and helping businesses leverage technology to scale,” she said.
- Okoli added that through programs like LevelUp Anambra and Code Anambra, the State has trained over 25,000 youths on various deep technology skills preparing them for jobs in the global market.
- She said the State’s SID Teen Digital Bootcamp is also cultivating a new generation of talented teens poised for future global impact.
- In support of the ecosystem, Okoli, said the government is also laying over 2,000 km of fiber duct across the state for last-mile internet connectivity.
What you should know
Between October 2022 when the Nigeria Startup Act (NSA) was signed into law and now, 12 out of Nigeria’s 36 states have either expressed their intention to adopt or have initiated the process of domesticating the NSA.
- The states include Nasarawa, Oyo, Rivers, Osun, Kaduna, Lagos, Kwara, Ekiti, Anambra, Imo, Niger, and Zamfara.
- The NSA, which act encourages the creation of innovation hubs and incubators to support startups was signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari in October 2022.
- Like Anambra, the Lagos State Government is drafting its own version of the NSA, called the Lagos Innovation Bill.