The Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami on Thursday, 1st October, 2020 officially commissioned the Africa First Experience Tech Experience Centre in Lagos, Nigeria, in line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for a Digital Nigeria.
The launch of the Africa First Experience Tech Experience Centre in Lagos will increase local participation and access to the latest technologies that would become a right of every Nigerian with the establishment of the Tech Experience Centre is a bold step forward in Nigeria’s march to technological emancipation.
The Head of the Tech Experience Centre, Chidalu Ekeh, stated that aside reducing the decision making cycle for Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), Chief Information Officers (CIOs), Chief Technology Officers (CTOs), as well as other technology consumers, the Centre will also serve as a training centre for young Nigerians on latest technology.
“We are creating a path in this country where state-of-the-art technology will be accessible to CEOs, CIOs, CTOs, and other technology consumers so that they can make prompt decisions without leaving the country,” Chidalu said.
“What we have onboard is a tech genius area where our customers will be able to take advantage of the partnerships that we have with the various OEMs on board. The Centre will afford young Nigerians the opportunity to receive world-class training on the latest technology.”
Also speaking on the reason for mobilizing other tech giants to bring the massive project to life, Managing Director (Sales) TD Africa, Mrs. Gozy Ijogun, explained that the center is aimed at adding value to the technology space in Nigeria in particular and Africa in general.
Ijogun said: “I am sure everyone is wondering what TD Africa is doing with the Tech Experience Centre. At TD Africa, we consider ourselves value added distributors. We are not just here to buy and sell. We add value to the economy. For that reason, we came up with the Tech Experience Centre so that Africans can experience technology the way it should be in this part of the world. No other distributor can do this. TD Africa is here to add value to the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) ecosystem.”
The Centre, housed within an impressive eight-floor edifice, will play host to tech giants, such as Cisco, Microsoft, Dell Technologies, HP, Schneider Electric, Zinox, Philips, Samsung, Apple, and Bosch, among others. The structure also houses a cutting-edge gaming arena, lifestyle and smart home area, café, training center, conference rooms, and expansive office spaces, among others.
Olakunle Oloruntimehin, GM West Africa, Cisco expressed delight with the concept behind the Tech Experience Centre, adding that it would be a great opportunity to offer latest technologies to consumers under the same roof with other tech giants.
“It is a good opportunity to collaborate with TD Africa and other OEMs under one roof. Technology is being democratised and it is important that people come together to take this outcome forward. Cisco is excited not only to partner with TD Africa but also to work with other OEMs under one space to make this work,” Oloruntimehin said.
Country Manager (Nigeria), Philips, Chioma Iwuchukwu-Nweke also expressed excitement with the expected launch of the project. She revealed that Philips would delight tech customers at the Centre with latest health-driven home appliances.
Nweke said: “This is a dramatisation of the phrase ‘think global, act local.’ This is what TD Africa is doing with the Tech Experience Centre, by bringing lots of multinationals in the technology space in one place so that customers will experience latest technology. Before now, people always take technology to be something they have to travel outside the country to experience. We are sure that the Centre is going to change this narrative, especially at this time when the thought of travelling is a little bit scary for a lot of people. For us at Philips, customers should expect total innovative home appliances.”
On her part, Marketing Communication Manager, Schneider Electric, Vivian Mike-Eze, commended the vision behind the initiative. She urged tech consumers to be ready for an immersive experience with smart home concepts at the Tech Experience Centre.
For the first time, Nigeria will play host to the latest global technologies including those not normally available in Africa, offering all classes of visitors a first-hand experience of new gadgets, solutions and infrastructure that would have previously required a visit abroad, thereby saving corporate organizations, government establishments and individuals money or scarce foreign exchange expended on these trips.
The Centre houses global technology giants under one roof, with the aim of making cutting-edge technology easily accessible to Nigerians and other nationals at entry costs that make sense. Experts and economic watchers have hailed the expected launch of the centre as a major development that will shore up Nigeria’s relevance in the global technology space, while also boosting the nation’s economy.
