Osinbajo Receives AliBaba Group’s Founder

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has expressed optimism that the creativity and resourcefulness of young Nigerians doing incredible things in the technology space across the country and beyond present great opportunities for partnerships with global technology giants.

He stated this yesterday when he received a delegation of Chinese technology entrepreneurs led by Co-founder of AliBaba Group, Jack Ma, at the State House, Abuja.

Jack Ma is presently in Nigeria on the vice president’s invitation to shore up support for the federal government’s initiative to promote technological innovation among Nigerian youts to boost job creation.

Osinbajo described Ma’s visit as exciting, saying many young people and lots of businesses and entrepreneurs were looking forward to the interaction with him and his delegation.

”Just as you said, Nigeria represents an incredible opportunity and potential, and we had spoken a few minutes ago about how Nigeria will in another two decades or so, become be the third-largest in terms of population in the entire world. The largest segment of that population are the young people, under 25, who will be over 60 per cent of that population.

“I think you will find very energetic, very creative group of young men and women and older men and women who are increasingly interested in entrepreneurship especially digital entrepreneurship.

“So, the potential is tremendous; it is an incredible potential that we have. So, we are at a point, and your coming is very strategic, in our trajectory and in the progress of our country.

“I think, it is a very important moment and what we are seeing - a lot of entrepreneurship, a lot of young people who are very actively engaged in the digital economy at various levels,” Osinbajo said.

The vice president also spoke about some of the steps already taken by the Buhari-led administration to support young

Nigerians in the technology space in building skills and capacities to create opportunities for themselves and others. “In his remarks, Ma, who made very commendable remarks about Nigerian entrepreneurs, said he had always looked forward to visiting the country.

The Chinese entrepreneur said AliBaba was working on promoting technological innovation in the areas of E-frastructure, Entrepreneurship, E-governance and Education in Nigeria and other African countries.

He said four Nigerian technology entrepreneurs were among top 10 African entrepreneurs which AliBaba Group intends to support.