The government of Edo state has announced it will be officially launching a state-backed innovation hub on June 14.The hub will be called Edo Innovation Hub and sited at the Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) in Benin.
According to the government, the hub that will activate and drive the state’s fledging technology ecosystem was put together through its skills development arm, Edojobs.
For the hub, Edo state is partnering with Siemens, Tech4Dev, Microsoft, Impact Hub, Curators University, and Hotels.NG.
The hub is expected to train over 1,000 youths in data management, programming, basic digital skills, and artificial intelligence.
Edo state Godwin Obaseki said the innovation hub will serve as a facility for training youths in the state and as a centre for follow-up trainings for youths, who are participating in similar training programmes organised by the state government through its skills development arm, popularly known as EdoJobs.
He said: “Services on offer by the firms include an incubation and pre-incubation programme, acceleration programme, business clinics and co-working facilities. Innovation Hub will be equipped with thousands of computers supported with high-speed connectivity.The hub is expected to play a major role in the realisation of Obaseki’s campaign promise to put an end to unemployment in Edo State by providing 200,000 jobs.”
Ukinebo Dare, Head of EdoJobs and Senior Special Asistant (SSA) to the Governor on Skills Development and Job Creation, said the innovation hub would open up the space for the development of critical manpower for Edo’s burgeoning investment climate.
