By Theresa Igata

The minister of Communications, Bar. Adebayo Shittu has said that the era of university graduates roaming the streets and looking for job after graduation would soon be over, as the six new universities established by the Federal Government which will begin operations in September will focus on adding value to the current level and pace of economic development in Nigeria, diversifying our economy and positioning Nigeria as the leading light in ICT in Africa.

Adebayo made the assertion at the opening of the 2017, TechPlus Expo in Lagos. According to him, “The nation also seeks to own its first ICT University which will be the first of its kind in Africa. It will compete with similar institutions in India and South Korea. It will be the first of its kind in Public-Private sector partnership and private bodies, institutions and organizations would be invited to adopt and take ownership of various departments and campuses and bring in all that is needed to create the desired ICT revolution in the country”.

The minister who commended the organizers of the annual event for their efforts  in providing a robust platform that allows companies, individuals and businesses in the tech space to bring together customers, clients, and stakeholders to showcase their products and services. The Minister also applauded the robust conference package that is meant to create practical opportunities for stakeholders present to talk about technology and feel the impact that technology has on different facets of life, both from business and consumer perspectives.

In his welcome speech, the General Manager, TechPlus, Taiwo Oyewole revealed that this year’s edition of TechPlus is more than just a conference or exhibition, as many novel ideas have been made to deepen conversations and ensure that participants make true connections and seize opportunities to transact business.

He added that, “Over the past editions, TechPlus has become many things to different people. A place to learn, get the pulse of the market in the tech ecosystem, meet like minds, network, play games and of course also have fun”.