The Government of Anambra State has officially opened applications for a startup competition known as ‘Battle4Solutions,’ which aims to award more than N100 million in prizes to participating Nigerian startups.
The announcement was made by Chinwe Okoli, the Special Adviser to the Anambra State Governor on Innovation and Business Incubation, during a press conference held on Tuesday. This event is part of the lead-up to the State’s forthcoming Innovation Week.
According to Okoli, the Anambra Innovation Week (AIW) will focus on growth driven by bold ideas, talent, technology, and innovation, with the Battle4Solutions competition serving as a central feature of the week-long event.
“Battle4Solutions is an innovation competition boasting a prize pool exceeding one hundred million naira in cash prizes,” she stated.
The competition invites Nigeria’s brightest startups to pitch solutions aimed at addressing pressing societal challenges across various sectors, including digital health, renewable energy, e-commerce, agritech, fintech, the environment, and education.
Highlighting the inclusivity of the competition, Okoli noted that participation is not restricted to startups based in Anambra State alone; rather, innovators from across Nigeria are encouraged to apply.
“Innovators, whether located in Anambra or elsewhere in Nigeria, are eligible to compete in the Battle4Solutions,” she affirmed, adding that the competition also welcomes participation from government ministries, agencies, academic institutions, startups, and creators, allowing for a diverse range of ideas and initiatives to be showcased.
Interested startups can apply to participate in the competition through the AIW website.
Okoli emphasized the Anambra State Government’s commitment to supporting the startup ecosystem, revealing ongoing efforts to domesticate the Nigeria Startup Act (NSA) through the formulation of the Anambra Startup Law.
“Our mandate includes nurturing the ‘Anambra Digital Tribe,’ supporting the startup ecosystem, incubating promising ventures, fostering research commercialization, and helping businesses leverage technology to scale,” she explained.
Okoli further highlighted the state’s initiatives aimed at empowering its youth, noting that programs like LevelUp Anambra and Code Anambra have trained over 25,000 young people in various advanced technology skills, preparing them for employment in the global market.
Additionally, she mentioned that the state’s SID Teen Digital Bootcamp is focused on cultivating a new generation of talented teens equipped to make a global impact in the future.
To further bolster the startup ecosystem, Okoli revealed that the government is laying over 2,000 kilometres of fibre duct throughout the state to ensure last-mile internet connectivity. This initiative is intended to enhance access to reliable internet services, which is crucial for the growth and sustainability of tech-driven businesses.
