Apodissi team contributed to the Digital Innovation Hubs inception workshop, organised by the GIZ, Digital Transformation Centre in Lagos (Nigeria) to support the conceptualisation, establishment and piloting of Digital Innovation Hubs in Nigeria.
The training activities were designed and led by Reesi Lepa, experienced project manager and an Associate Partner at CIVITTA. CIVITTA is an international collaboratory consulting organisation, blending digital and advisory services across various fields for public and private clients from Nordics to Central Asia.
The core objective of the inception workshop was to guide five selected Nigerian Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) in how to design their communication and business plan, to successfully launch and sustain their operations, benefitting from the initial fund provided by GIZ.
Digital Innovation Hubs can pilot the digital transformation of SMEs and Micro-SMEs in Nigeria, thereby creating a greater impact in development across various sectors. DIHs are one-stop-shops, designed to promote collaboration, connection, digitisation, research and innovation for development in various sectors like: agriculture, trade, manufacturing, creativity industry.
Digital innovation hubs are important mechanisms that support SMEs in digital transformation and development. Sustainability, government support, infrastructure and connectivity are among the pillars that enable a DIH to thrive. The key is to adapt and learn from others and the past. To bridge these gaps in Nigerian DIHs, there has to be a substantial investment, network creation, and contribution from the government.
Analysing the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) strategy is crucial to the Nigerian DIHs to identify key learnings and best practices which could be adopted in the local ecosystem. Maurits Butter and Ionut Tata share their expert insights from EDIH’s perspective with the teams of the Nigerian Digital Innovation Hubs, at work.
Bridge4scale, Digiplus Alliance, F – TAIP, Widernetfarms and Women Venture Studio DIHs were also mentored by Yemi Keri, Sander van der waal, Reesi Lepa and Ionut Tata during the one-to-one business and communication plan sessions managed by Adriano Mauro and Margherita Trestini.
While discussing the communication plan strategy with the Nigerian hubs, Margherita stressed designing an excellent communication plan that aligns with the goals and objectives of the hub. She added that using important key elements, such as age, and gender, to carve out the target increases the chances of having a greater impact.
