From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
As Nigeria faces a plethora of challenges ranging from unemployment, poverty, insecurity and food insufficiency, players in the ICT space have repeatedly called on the federal government and other stakeholders to leverage the abundant potential in the tech space in order to take the country’s economy out of the woods.
One of the firms leading conversations around deepening digital entrepreneurship in Nigeria is Art Tech District, powered by Civic Innovation Lab. The company introduced a digitally-driven discovery museum in Abuja to strengthen museum culture in Nigeria.
Mosope Olaosebikan, the founder of the company, reckons that the economic challenges facing Nigeria are too enormous for a single sector to tackle, hence the need for government-private collaboration in tackling them, especially unemployment, from where insecurity and other social blights spring from.
He noted that his firm, which is also a tech-based theme park in Abuja that houses Nigeria’s first digital museum, The Discovery Museum and the restaurants: Lagos Bistro, Amazonia, Sketch and Kapppadocia; has been working towards filling the unemployment and storytelling gulf in Nigeria through technology and hospitality.
In just 16 months since its launch, Art Tech District has already expanded from Abuja to Lagos, employing at least 550 young Nigerians; from graphics designers, video producers, and VR experts to photographers, creative writers, and digital marketing experts.
‘All of these entities are making a significant impact across the tourism and hospitality industries.
‘The museum, which is the synchronisation of art, history and technology, was established to educate, empower and create positive awareness about Nigeria, its history, and culture, through pictures, films and artifacts.
‘We founded the Art Tech District in a bid to work with the government to create civic products, inspire young Nigerians toward creativity and innovation, and ensure inclusive technological growth in both rural and urban Nigeria.
‘With a focus on the World Bank’s Sustainable Development Goals, we have worked on all fronts to ensure effective growth and development in the country. It’s easy and valid for us to complain that things aren’t working for us as Nigerians, but it’s more effective to look for ways to fill in the gap, no matter how small.
‘The forces of entrepreneurship in Nigeria are relatively strong, as the deplorable poverty and unemployment rates leave few other options for citizens. Youth unemployment, according to the National Bureau of Statistics Q4 2020 report, stands at an alarming rate of 42.5%. Yet the Nigerian economy, depending on the government or the public sector alone, cannot create jobs more rapidly and consistently mop up labour. Entrepreneurs do a great deal trying to fill this gap, but this gap is growing faster than current entrepreneurial initiatives can keep up.
‘The importance of entrepreneurs in job creation cannot be overstated. Their contribution to industrialisation, economic growth, wealth creation, and improved standard of living is enormous. They are the driving force of our nation’s economy,’ he explained.
Olaosebikan added that the Discovery Museum has successfully merged the past, present and future of Nigerian storytelling using new-age technology.
‘So far, it has been visited by UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed, the French and Bulgarian Ambassadors to Nigeria, the Managing Director, Development Policy and Partnerships at World Bank, Mari Pangestu among other visitors.
‘The restaurants on another hand seem to revolutionise the concept of fine dining in Nigeria, focusing on experiential spaces based on other locations or creative concepts. And with foreign companies almost claiming a monopoly on the restaurant space in Nigeria, these Nigerian-owned and run restaurants are a breath of fresh air,’ he added.
Tech observers note that what makes Arts Tech District’s boss unique is that all his entrepreneurial ventures are pursued with the pure and passionate desire to solve community-based problems, and not fundamentally driven by profit.
His intent is about harnessing local talent to provide simple and accessible solutions to socio-economic problems unique to Nigeria:
‘Noticing the large pool of talents in the country and the ongoing global journey toward the Fourth Industrial Revolution. When entrepreneurs do business, the entire economy benefits: new products and services are developed, jobs are created, and communal problems are solved. That is exactly what we are doing through several enterprises. More than just structuring new organisations and pioneering innovation, we have effected significant social changes, applying our creative senses to important cultural challenges.
The Art Tech boss notes that doing business in the country remains a tough order and like other entrepreneurs, he is calling on the government to soften the ground with the provision of basic social infrastructure so that more creative ideas can grow and flourish.
‘Nigeria’s economic challenges are creating a hostile environment for entrepreneurial success. The country’s inadequate infrastructure, especially the lack of a steady power supply, also stifles entrepreneurial activity.
‘Doing business in Nigeria, as people always say, is like climbing Mount Everest without safety devices. This has to change. There should be more collaboration between the government and entrepreneurs in tackling this behemoth challenge called unemployment. The government needs to empower social entrepreneurs by reducing the cost and time it takes to register new companies in Nigeria, providing single-digit loans, and giving grants.
‘The government needs to provide tax incentives, design and implement friendly trade policies, and provide contract opportunities to private companies. Entrepreneurship remains the highest employer of labour worldwide, and economic growth stalled when entrepreneurial activities are stifled,’ he said.
Also commenting on the firm, the General Manager, Faridah Dikko, recently called for reparation of all Nigerian artifacts around the world.
Dikko noted that technology and digital media are the future, adding that the features of the Art Tech District include the play box, digital museum, discovery museum, virtual reality and an escape room.
She said: ‘We thought there was a gap, so we try to strengthen the museum-going culture, we want to focus on our history and share history with our communities, share our vision, talent within the community and really engaging the young people and children.’
Dikko observed that the museum had in recent times emerged as the focal point of the Art Tech District of Nigeria and is the first in the region devoted to shaping the narrative of the culture, people and democratic ideals through the intersection of technology and art.
According to her, ‘what we are trying to do is create new things like where to learn new things, like individuals who want to learn new things in the technology industry.
‘We have started with a museum, the focal point of Art Tech District looks at the history of how we became a country, the history of our country, the economy of how we are involved. Teach people our history, and people that know our history, we refresh their memory again. Music is a huge hot culture in Nigeria, we have a music room, and we have a history room, where people know about Nigeria’s history. We have an art exhibition, we give upcoming artists to showcase their work and give them that exposure to the members of the public,’ she stated.