UK High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ms Catriona Laing said Ms Adaeze Sokan, the new Country Director of the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub, would bring her experience to the post.
The British high commissioner in Lagos announced this in a statement on Tuesday.
On Monday, the new country director was introduced to the visitors.
“The Deputy High Commission welcomes you, and we hope your breadth of knowledge will assist in the development of Nigeria’s Sustainable Digital Ecosystems,” Laing added.
She stated that as a global force for good, the UK has prioritized the development and implementation of digital inclusion, and recognizes the ability of the digital economy to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
”We are committed to help drive digital access across the country and support Nigeria to develop its digital economy by leveraging the role and expertise of the UK, in a number of areas.
“The UK plans to do this particularly through the three pillars of the global Digital Access Programme, which cuts across- Connectivity and Inclusion, Cybersecurity and Sustainable Digital Ecosystems, ” she said.
The new country director expressed her delight at being a part of the team.
Nigeria’s digital sector, she noted, was becoming an increasingly vital element of the economy.
“I am looking forward to expanding the existing work that assists more tech founders, particularly women,” Sokan remarked.
“To exploit the potential of the UK and Nigeria tech ecosystems, we will continue to build links between the UK and Nigeria, assist the rise of high-end digital skills, and expand relationships with government and businesses.
“I am certain that innovation-driven startups are the most long-term path to a strong digital economy. As a result, sustainable and inclusive growth, job creation, and poverty reduction are boosted.
According to the New Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Sokan has over six years of experience working in the tech sector, before joining the UK- Nigeria Tech hub.
She was the Acting Executive Director of Ventures Platform Foundation, where she led the team in designing and implementing organisational strategic objectives for supporting start-ups.
Sokan has worked with different partners including the Office of the President and Vice President to provide advisory support and programme design.
She also worked with international partners such as the European Union, World Bank, US Embassy, USAID, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office as well as private sector partners such as ARM, Google, Microsoft and Facebook, interested in supporting and engaging the ecosystem.
Sokan also led the first delegation of start-up participants from Nigeria to SLUSH, Finland, one of Europe’s foremost accelerator and conference in 2016 and facilitated other inter-country initiatives.