By Fred Iwenjora, Associate Editor
Nigeria and Sweden have started a partnership that will strengthen the role infotech plays in Africa.
The new relationship will see some Swedish firms, businesses and universities in direct business relationship with Nigerian firms.
Speaking recently after a meeting with Nigerian Vice president Prof yemi osinbajo, Charge D’ Affairs of the Swedish Embassy in Nigeria Mr Stephan Tillander, said the delegation had a very fruitful discussion on digital issues relating to how the internet and modern technology innovations could help strengthen cooperation between Nigeria and Sweden, their businesses and universities.
During the briefing with state House correspondents as captured by News Agency of Nigeria NAN, the Charge D Affairs explained that “We have Swedish companies, Ericsson, Scania, with us in this meeting, we have representatives from Swedfund, from the Swedish Spider, and from Ideon which have been working with universities to establish parks where people can get help with innovation and incubation and develop businesses.
“We want to see how these can strengthen relations between these two countries.
“I think there are a lot of opportunities in this; if you have a functioning internet and if you have a functioning public transportation, that will facilitate job creation and employment and that will make the economy grow.
“So, this is international trade, international exchange, businesses investments like Ericsson, Scania will help benefit the economies both of Nigeria and of Sweden.
“We can see how Swedish companies are working in Nigeria because of this partnership which is currently expanding and growing.
Lanre Osibona, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on ICT, said that the collaboration led to the Sweden-Nigerian Innovation Day held in Lagos on December 4, 2018.
He said that the collaboration would bring resurgence in commercial trade relationship between the two countries for mutual benefits.
Osibona said that considering Sweden’s long history in technology and innovation, the collaboration would boost the quest of the administration to make Nigeria a knowledge hub in Africa. (NAN)
