By Ihechinyere Chigemeri-Uwom
Umuahia, April 24, 2025
The Abia Government has expressed its readiness to adopt the Nigeria Startup Act (NSA), as part of broader efforts to accelerate innovation and support tech-driven entrepreneurship in the state.
The Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr. David Kalu, made this known on Thursday, during a one-day stakeholders engagement meeting organised by the State Government in Umuahia.
He said that the piece of legislation would contribute immensely to the positioning of the state as a hub for digital transformation in the Southeast and Nigeria at large.
Kalu, emphasised that the Act offers a robust legal and institutional framework capable of unlocking opportunities for Abia’s growing community of young innovators and Startups.
“This is a very important Act and it will define the future of Startups in our state,” he said.
Kalu described the people of Abia as naturally entrepreneurial, and with technology coming into the state’s ecosystem, the state would witness a powerful convergence that must be supported by law.
He referenced an exposition from the Chief Executive Officer of Allison, a global online learning platform, who revealed that data from a psychometric study of its users showed that Abia residents exhibit some of the strongest entrepreneurial traits across Nigeria.
“What we have here is raw entrepreneurial energy.
“When you combine that with the right technology and a supportive legal framework like the Nigeria Startup Act, the possibilities for Abia are endless,”Kalu said.
He also said that the forum was organized to bring together key stakeholders, including tech experts, academics, StartUp founders, youth leaders, and government representatives.
According to him,the agenda for the forum focuses on reviewing the provisions of the Act and discussing how best to adapt it to suit the unique needs of Abia.
He further said that implementing the Act in Abia would stimulate innovation in key sectors such as trade and agriculture, where the state has historical strengths and future potential.
“We are already beginning to see transformations, and we hope to see even more, especially in how we trade and how we farm.
“We want to see tech StartUps redefining commerce and agriculture in Abia,” Kalu said.
He urged stakeholders to contribute their perspectives to the review process, ensuring that the Abia version of the Act would be inclusive, practical, and visionary.
In her address, the State Adoption Lead for NSA, Mrs Tracy Okoro-Isaac, emphasised the need for state-level implementation to make the Act truly impactful.
“We came together and built the Nigeria Startup Act at the national level.
“Now, with a government focused on enabling young people, we are taking the next step to bring the Act down to the states,”Okoro-Isaac said.
She noted that the real impact of the Act would be felt at the state and grassroots levels.
“There’s no such thing as a ‘Federal Government State, our young people live and work in states and local governments, that’s why we need states like Abia to co-create the environment through legal tools like this Act.
“It gives our youth the chance to build tech-enabled companies and, ultimately, a Silicon Valley of their own here in Abia,” she said.
In their separate remarks, The Board Chair of the Abia Technology and Innovation Network,Mr Daniel Chinagozi and a digital expert, Mr Peter Anya, described the Act as a welcome development.
They said that the legislation would revolutionalise the entrepreneur and technology ecosystem in the state.
They also said that localising the Act to reflect Abia’s unique strengths would position the state as a leading innovation hub.
They further described the event as a milestone and commended the government’s forward-thinking approach in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship.
