A entrepreneur, Umar Idris, has unveiled plans to replicate Silicon Valley to boost businesses and entrepreneurship development in Sokoto State.
Mr Idris, who is also the chairman of the 21st Century Entrepreneurship Hub, said the company was established in 2017, as pioneer hub and co-working space in the state.
He told the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday that the space was playing a pivotal role in the entrepreneurship development in the northern Nigeria.
According to him, the space focuses on providing comprehensive support to entrepreneurs through training, mentoring, networking, exhibition and funding opportunities.
The chairman that it had registered over 10,000 members and expanded thier presence across the northern states.
He listed the states to include Kaduna; Kebbi, Katsina, Nasarawa, Kano, Niger, Zamfara and co-working space station in Sokoto for effective coordination.
Mr Idris said the impact of the activities yielded positive results as 2,000 entrepreneurs benefitted from innovative ideas and business solution programmes.
He said the participants had been exposed to various sectors critical to the development of agriculture, health, education and energy.
The entrepreneurs, he said, created more than 5,000 jobs and positively impacted on the lives of over two million people in the region.
Mr Idris the company organized annual business exhibitions to enable entrepreneurs to showcase their products and services as well as established business links in the participating states.
While urging Nigerians to embrace innovative enterprise to stimulate robust economic growth, Idris challenged indigenous enterprises to promote export of Made-in-Nigeria products.
He also advocated proactive measures to ease business registration processes in the country.
NAN
