Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, has declared that his administration is creating enabling environments for digital growth, positioning the state as an emerging hub for technology-driven governance and innovation.

Speaking at the Osun Tech Festival, in Osogbo, the governor said his government met an almost entirely analogue system when it assumed office in November 2022.

Adeleke stressed that the launch of AlphaStart Hub, the state’s first government-owned founders’ hub, will boost invitations and job creation in the state, adding that three additional hubs will be established across the senatorial districts within a year, with a headquarters at the proposed Osun Digital City.

He said: “When we came on board, Osun was like an analogue establishment. There was no tech policy or tech development structure. “We found nothing in the area of the digital economy. Worst still, fibre optics development was not on the table.

“From November 2022 when we assumed office, we made a firm decision. Technology would not be an accessory to governance; it would be the foundation.

“At the dawn of this administration, we recognised that a sustainable digital ecosystem begins with infrastructure.

“Without connectivity, there is no innovation. Without access, there is no inclusion.

“We therefore developed new policies and legislation. Osun now has a state ICT policy, a tech innovation policy alongside domestication of the Nigeria Start Up Act.

“We now have a Governor’s Advisory Council on ICT and Digital Economy. “We reviewed the operating environment. This was to enable infrastructure providers to expand services, particularly to underserved communities.