Anambra state’s ambition to train one million young people in digital skills has received global validation, with its flagship Solution Innovation District (SID) named among the top three winners at the Inspiring Solutions Awards 2025 during the International Association of Science Parks (IASP) World Conference in Beijing.
The recognition, announced at the conference’s gala dinner, specifically highlighted the Anambra Digital Tribe initiative as a transformational, inspiring, and impactful blueprint for building a sustainable, homegrown innovation economy.
Chinwe Okoli, special adviser to Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, on innovation and business incubation, represented the state at both the Triple Helix Association & CASSSP Innovation Summit and the International Association of Science Parks (IASP) 42nd World Conference held in Beijing, China, this September.
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Okoli’s presentation, “The Anambra Story – From Theory to Transformation,” detailed how Soludo’s vision is being executed through the Triple Helix model, strategically aligning government, academia, and industry.
She showcased the SID as a practical, homegrown application of global best practices, already delivering impressive outcomes, which include 80,000+ citizens trained in various digital skills, building a future-proof workforce and talent for technology development; dozens of new startups launched, catalysing a new creative and digital economy and over $2 million in ecosystem investment secured, demonstrating early international investment confidence.
Building on this momentum at the 42nd IASP World Conference, Okoli delivered a presentation titled “Bridging Continents Through Innovation: SID and the Power of International Collaboration.” She detailed Soludo’s strategy of using the SID as a gateway for global partnerships, emphasising that tackling Africa’s digital growth and youth unemployment requires cross-border cooperation.
The IASP Inspiring Solutions Award, announced during the conference’s gala dinner, specifically recognised the Anambra Digital Tribe and its ambitious goal to train one million youths, celebrating it as a transformational, inspiring, and impactful blueprint for building a sustainable, homegrown innovation economy.
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“This award is a powerful testament to Soludo’s foresight and firm commitment. His strategic investments in technology infrastructure and youth empowerment have proven that emerging economies can not only participate in but excel on the global innovation stage. Our message in Beijing was clear: Anambra is building global bridges for talent, technology, and capital, and this award confirms that the world is taking notice. Anambra is open for business and ripe for strategic investment,” Okoli stated.
The presentations in Beijing highlighted key investor-friendly attributes of the Anambra ecosystem, driven by the governor’s policies including a clear, government-backed vision, proven partnerships with Meta, Microsoft, Connekt Broadband, Circum Technologies etc signposting opportunity for future partners and the one million Anambra Digital Tribe initiative directly addresses the talent needs of the global digital economy, creating a deep pool of skilled developers, creatives, and tech entrepreneurs.
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