By Tosin Clegg
Public sector technology expert, Olatunbosun Alake, has called for stronger collaboration between government and the private sector in education funding, stating that it is key to driving sustainable technology growth in Nigeria.
In a recent media statement, Alake asserted that robust education investment provides the foundation for innovation and the development in the industry.
He explained that building an effective innovation system goes beyond replicating existing models; it requires the consistent generation of unique solutions, products, and services that can fuel economic growth.
“A robust science and technology system that not only depends on conventional recreations of already established models, but is capable of consistently creating unique solutions, products, and services that drive economic growth, is a pillar of modern economies across the globe,” he said.
Alake highlighted in his statement that while Nigeria’s technology ecosystem has produced notable innovations in areas such as fintech, edtech, and agritech, the bulk of their operations still rely heavily on imported foundational technologies like advanced semiconductor designs and cloud computing infrastructure.
He warned that this over-dependence exposes Nigeria’s digital economy to vulnerabilities, as many of the technologies powering local companies remain owned and controlled by foreign players.
“The danger is that these taps can be turned off at any time, leaving many so-called technology ecosystems facing an existential crisis,” Alake cautioned.
To mitigate these risks, Alake underscored the importance of education as the single most effective tool for building a self-sustaining system that can produce local innovators, researchers, and developers.
In his statement, Alake pointed to the decline in Nigeria’s federal education budget allocation, which fell from 7.9% in 2016 to 5.6% in 2021, as a worrying trend. By comparison, Germany allocated over 11% in 2018, while South Africa devoted between 15–20% in 2021.
“It is a foregone conclusion that the Government must increase spending on education. This by far is one of the most important determinants of a robust innovation and technology system,” he stated.
Alake stressed that public funding alone cannot deliver the transformation needed to make Nigeria competitive.
He called on private sector leaders to step up investments in skills development, capacity building, and research support, noting that a shared responsibility approach would unlock significant progress.
“For tectonic movements in education output, spending by the Government must be significantly complemented by investments in skills and training by the private sector,” he said.
Alake is a seasoned public sector technology and digital specialist with extensive expertise in driving innovation and shaping strategies for sustainable technology growth.
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