Bank Supports Startups, Sponsors Innovative Ideas at Tech Fair

Mary Nnah

Zenith Bank, leading multinational financial service provider in Nigeria at its recent Tech Fair, supported and sponsored various technology start-ups and innovative ideas.

Held recently in Lagos, the event had the theme, “Future Forward’, which showcased leading technology innovation across every aspect of life.

Speaking at the event, Chairman, Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, said the bank has always had some form of technology summit over the years, but the tech fair was a little bit different from the prior years, adding, “at this point in time, the world has gone so digital and Nigerian economy is being digitised”.

He explained that the event held at a time when so many Nigerian youths were creating new innovations such as start-up companies and start-up initiatives, adding that Zenith bank thought it needed to support start-ups and encourage them by sponsoring the various innovative ideas that they have.

“We want to support them in the area of disruptive innovations and technologies and we all know what disruptive innovations will do to our economy. This is exactly why we are sponsoring this Zenith Tech Fair.

“We believe in the years to come that we will build our own Silicon Valley as we sponsor more innovations and creativities whether in the area of entertainment, technology, agriculture, amongst others.

“That is why we will encourage our youths to come up with various technologies and innovations that they have that is disruptive and will change the old ways of doing things to embrace new ways, which is the direction of the world economy. These include artificial intelligence and various forms of innovations,” he said.

He stressed that Nigeria has well trained Nigerian engineers, IT and practitioners and there is a need to encourage them” Ovia noted.

Ebenezer Onyeagwu, MD/CEO, Zenith Bank, who was pleased with the turnout of people at the event, acknowledged that virtually every stakeholder in the digital ecosystem was represented at the event, adding “for those who will be eventual winners, of course, the bank is going to be providing support to incubate them and see how we can get them to grow even bigger and better than what they are now”.

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