Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa collaborates with Ekiti State

New partnerships

Ekiti State has emerged as a frontrunner in propelling Nigeria toward innovation within the digital landscape. Despite a surge in innovators shaping the country’s future, many encounter challenges in gaining access to opportunities that can significantly impact their innovations positively. Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa stands out as a facilitator, addressing these challenges and providing solutions.

Passionate about innovation, technology advancement, creating an ecosystem of expertise, funding, and powerful connections, Global Alliance Africa recently partnered with the Ekiti State Ministry of Innovation Science, and Digital Economy to foster innovation with their Place-Based Innovation (PBI) intervention at a side event within the Ekiti State Innovation Summit 2023.

With this latest collaboration, it is safe to say that the partnership with the Ekiti State government has contributed to a state-wide development. Bringing together government officials, industry leaders, and the Innovate UK team, discussions at the summit centred around innovation science and the digital economy. The event hosted over 600 people, with 40 partners and stakeholders including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Research and Innovation Systems for Africa (RISA) Fund, The Nest Hub, Utiva, The Netherlands Mission, and The Rise Network. Also present was Seun Fakuade, Hon Commissioner for Innovation, who acknowledged that Global Alliance Africa interventions in Ekiti since 2019, have continued to catalyse the innovation ecosystem. Commitment was made by other partners including UNDP to join us in the journey to innovate Ekiti.

The Global Alliance Africa’s Place-Based Innovation intervention is supported by UK government to help accelerate innovation through access to new technologies and knowledge sharing”. Through the PBI intervention, Innovate UK has carried extensive work by developing an innovation audit for Ekiti state, an ecosystem map, and an investment guide, supported young innovators, and kickstarted knowledge transfer engagement in aquaculture sectors. Thus, new partners will not have to start from scratch.

– Joshua Adedeji, Global Alliance Africa Country lead at Innovate UK KTN

Inclusive innovation and collaboration

A major highlight of the summit, speaking to the Place-Based Innovation Intervention, was the emphasis placed on the importance of collaborative efforts, and inclusive innovation as pivotal elements in realising shared prosperity for the people of Ekiti State. The PBI intervention lead, Bhavya Srinivasan, joined by Briter Bridges, also presented some of the existing work led by Innovate UK, and our impact within Ekiti State, further cementing collaborative efforts as a leap in the direction of grounding development, fostering creativity, and building cultural awareness in Ekiti State. To close the event, Williams Tsuma, Head of UNDP Lagos, committed to joining hands with Innovate UK and the government of Ekiti State to further strengthen the innovation ecosystem.

About Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa

Global Alliance Africa is a six-year project funded by UK International Development through Innovate UK (GCRF) and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Follow us for more project updates

Twitter @IUK_Global

Instagram @WeAreGlobalAlliance

Webpage iuk.ktn-uk.org/programme/africa