Coding in the hills: How Ekiti is building Nigeria’s next tech hotspot
Nestled amidst the serene rolling hills of southwestern Nigeria, Ekiti State proudly carries the moniker “Fountain of Knowledge.” This title is not merely symbolic; education is deeply ingrained in the very fabric of life here, treasured as a cornerstone of identity and progress. Building on this profound academic tradition, Ekiti is now strategically pivoting its intellectual prowess towards a new, ambitious frontier: cultivating a generation equipped to lead in artificial intelligence (AI) and other cutting-edge technologies, aiming to become a significant Nigerian tech hotspot.
Ekiti’s Intellectual Legacy: A Launchpad for Tech Innovation
The state’s commitment to education is unparalleled, forming a robust foundation for its technological aspirations. As Esther Ajayi, a state government official in Ado Ekiti, aptly puts it, “In almost every family in Ekiti, you’ll find someone with a Master’s degree or a PhD.” This pervasive culture of academic excellence provides a unique advantage in fostering tech talent. Despite its status as Nigeria’s fifth-smallest state, Ekiti boasts impressive educational metrics from 2024, recording Nigeria’s third-highest literacy rate at a remarkable 95.7%. It stands as the third most literate state in the country, trailing only Imo and Lagos, and maintains an exceptionally low out-of-school rate of just 9%. This deep-rooted intellectual legacy is now being actively leveraged by forward-thinking state government policymakers and dynamic grassroots tech entrepreneurs. They see this rich human capital as the ideal launchpad for Ekiti’s accelerated growth within one of the world’s most rapidly expanding digital economies, positioning the state as a vibrant hub for coding and AI development in Nigeria.
This strategic direction highlights Ekiti’s understanding that its greatest resource is its people, particularly their proven capacity for learning and innovation. By channeling this inherent educational drive into the tech sector, Ekiti is not just investing in its youth; it’s building a sustainable blueprint for economic diversification and growth within the Nigerian and broader African tech landscape. The “Fountain of Knowledge” is now pouring into the digital realm, setting the stage for Ekiti to emerge as a key player in shaping Nigeria’s future tech narrative.
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