Meet Bosun Tijani New Minister Of Communications And Digital Economy
By Idris Bakare
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu today announced Olatunbosun Tijani as the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.
With this announcement, the
Nigerian-British entrepreneur, co-founder and CEO of Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB), a Pan-African innovation and technology centre will be incharge of the country’s Information and Communications Technology for the next four years.
Tijani is coming to take over the industry from where the former Minister, Prof. Isa Pantami, who was in charge during the former President, Muhammeddu Buhari tenure.
However, His appointment represents a break from the norm of civil servants and career politicians being appointed as the minister responsible for Nigeria’s fast-growing digital economy. For instance, the immediate past minister of communications and digital economy, Isa Pantanmi formerly served as the director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Although Tijani won’t be the first startup founder to serve in government, this will be the first time that a member of the tech ecosystem will be getting a cabinet position, creating a new level of validation. The 46-year-old, who co-founded one of the most influential tech incubators on the continent, will now be tasked with driving impactful policies to support the ecosystem he has helped build. Just last week, Obi Ozor, the CEO of Kobo360, a logistics startup, was appointed as commissioner of transport in Enugu.
Tijani has led the expansion of CcHub across Nigeria, Kenya, and more recently, Namibia. From its humble beginnings in Yaba, CcHub has grown to become a significant catalyst of tech advancement in Africa by empowering young people with the tools, communities, and capital they need to launch impactful ventures. With a billion naira growth fund, CcHub has committed to impacting over 95 early-stage businesses including those bringing innovation to Africa’s education and healthcare systems.
