Nigeria Boosts German Tech Talent Exchange Skills Initiative 

Emma Okonji

Nigeria recently played host to a delegation of German entrepreneurs, innovators and investors, underscoring the importance of exchange programmes in bridging talent and opportunities across continents.

The visit, organised by the delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Nigeria (AHK Nigeria) and German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), was hosted in Lagos and aimed to foster international collaboration between Germany and Nigeria. The Nest Innovation and Technology Park, a leading innovation hub in Lagos, led the conversations between Nigerian entrepreneurs/innovators and the German delegation.

During the visit, Founder of Cynteract, Gernot Sümmermann, expressed his worries about the shortage of physiotherapists in the country.

 “There are no enough therapists and healthcare workers and some Nigerians complained about their parents not having access to basic healthcare in local areas, especially where there are no physiotherapists,” Sümmermann said.

Speaking, the Chief Innovation Officer of Cynteract, Aditi Mishra stressed the need for improved healthcare infrastructure and support from the government.

The delegates also pointed out the complexities in the regulatory framework, stating that the case is different in Rwanda given the government’s receptiveness to change and development.

Founder of Alo Akademia, Alicia Reimer, emphasised the need for structural changes. “It is important to close the education gap between the poor and the rich. This is a structural problem. “From my observation, Nigerians are open to development and there are innovators ready to solve these problems. But there is a need for good structures and systems to support innovation and growth” she said.

Talent export and training infrastructure were also key topics during the visit. Founder and CEO of Ivory Tech Hub, Deborah Aboagye, noted the need for high-quality training to develop local talent. “Nigeria has a lot to offer with respect to talent and skilled people. Yes, they are available, but they are not so useful for the complexities global companies are working on a day-to-day basis,” she said. Aboagye also highlighted the need for step-by-step progress evaluation to assess eligibility for global opportunities, and stressed the importance of investing in talent to create a win-win situation for everyone.

While hosting the delegates at The Nest Innovation and Technology Park, its founder, Oluwajoba Oloba, said: “We are proposing to the government to help educate out-of-school children. We are looking to build infrastructures which provide young children opportunities to explore their creativity.”   The tech sector was another area of interest. Founder of Space Era, Kaif Ali, stressed the importance of communicating value on the continent. “There’s a big gap of awareness and in communicating value in Nigeria and Africa as a whole,” Ali said.