By our Reporter
Ogun State Government has concluded plans to uplift the Technology Incubation Centres (TICs) across the State.
The centres are located in Abeokuta, Odogbolu and Owode-Yewa, to enable them function optimally for entrepreneurs with innovations to grow their businesses.
Mrs. Kikelomo Longe,Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment disclosed this in Abeokuta, while meeting with the new Centre Manager, TIC, Mr. Ifelayo Adejoro, saying government’s effort on the full-reactivation of the Centres was necessary for the development of entrepreneurs, especially the start-ups who need to nurture their innovations before commercialising them.
Longe said the present administration would collaborate with the new leadership of the TICs, to address challenges affecting them for the actualisation of their missions, saying “we have set up a small working group that will work out details of re-activating and re-energising the three TICs in Ogun State, to come up with solutions that can help achieve the set objectives of these centres”.
The Commissioner called on the new Centre Manager to be solution-driven, towards addressing the challenge of low capacity utilisation of the Centres, noting that the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration would continue to promote technological innovations and boost the development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Contributing, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Olu. Ola. Aikulola said the agency would incorporate some of its entrepreneurs at the State MSMEs Business Clinics to take advantage of the various incubation units at the Centres, assuring of government’s continued support for the development of the TICs.
In his address, Mr. Adejoro applauded the intervention of the State government in reviving the Centres, expressing his determination to attract more than 50 incubatees within the next six months, help them obtain necessary certifications and market their products or innovations.