Vice-president in meeting with Google head to showcase Nigeria’s tech sector [Updated]

Nigeria’s vice-president Yemi Osinbajo, who is leading a three-day US roadshow to showcase the growth of Nigeria’s tech and entertainment sectors, yesterday met with Google CEO Sundar Pichai.

Yesterday Pichai tweeted: “Happy to welcome the Vice President of Nigeria @ProfOsinbajo to the Googleplex today — great to chat with him about the opportunities of Nigeria’s digital economy”.

Osinbajo, who arrived in the US yesterday, is leading a public-private sector collaborative investment roadshow to the US, where he will be speaking to global industry leaders in IT and entertainment sectors in Silicon Valley in San Francisco and in Hollywood, California, until tomorrow (11 July).

Osinbajo is leading an investment roadshow to the US, where he will be speaking to global industry leaders in IT and entertainment sectors

The vice-president yesterday tweeted that at a fireside chat with LinkedIn co-founder Allen Blue he described the role the role of the recently inaugurated Technology and Creativity Advisory Group to drive policy in tech innovation and entertainment.

In a press release today the vice president’s office said Osinbajo has spoken extensively about the commitment of Nigeria’s federal government to supporting the growth of technology and creative industries in the country through its policies and reforms.

Read more: Nigerian startups sceptical of state’s sudden interest in ecosystem [Opinion]
Read more: Nigerian tech startup sector still up against challenges, say commentators
Read more: ‘Nigeria’s high cost of doing business is holding back acquisition of startups’

Editor’s note (11 July 2018): In a statement on 11 July the vice-president’s office said during their meeting on 9 July, Osinbajo and Google executives discussed the expansion of Google’s Launchpad Accelerator Programme in Africa.

Google has also indicated interest in the policy environment in Nigeria and formulation of policy to encourage partnerships and investments from Google with companies in Nigeria’s technology space, the vice-president’s office said.

Featured image: Nigeria’s vice-president Yemi Osinbajo during a meeting with Google CEO Sundar Pichai at Google’s headquarters in San Franscisco yesterday (ProfOsinbanjo via Twitter)