Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, is rounding up his 3-day tour of the world’s tech capital, Silicon Valley, today.
VP Osinbajo has arrived California where he will be headlining a number of investment forums in the San Francisco area & Los Angeles, promoting tech innovation and entertainment industries. He is accompanied by many from those sectors and relevant top govt officials.
— Laolu Akande (@akandeoj) July 9, 2018
The Vice President has been in the Valley Since Monday, July 8. Unlike other visits by a Nigerian leading government official, Prof. Osinbajo is in the Valley headlining a number of tech events and courting new investments in Nigeria’s evolving tech and entertainment sectors.
According to State House documents, during his trip, Prof. Osinbajo “will be leading a public-private sector collaborative investment roadshow to the United States.”
Now, this is not surprising as over the last couple of months, the Vice President has been pivotal to developments in the country’s tech sector. Prof. Osinbajo has taken part in several events and has heartily helped launch quite a few tech hubs in the country.
And just last month, he inaugurated the Technology and Creativity Advisory Group, a policy group composed of young people to foster the development of the Nigerian entertainment and tech industries.
Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is currently in the United State, five things you should know about the trip. #VPAtHollywood #VPAtSiliconValley pic.twitter.com/gMfNpNKA6S
— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) July 9, 2018
His trip to Silicon Valley is to further boost the development and strides Nigeria’s tech sector has recorded over the last several years.
Alongside the Vice President, several other high ranking government officials made the trip. These include the Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment Dr. Okey Enelamah and Special Adviser to the President on Economic Affairs, Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu. Others include senior government officials from the Nigeria Investment Promotion Council, Nigeria Export Promotion Council Ease of Doing Business Secretariat, among others.
Happy to welcome the Vice President of Nigeria @ProfOsinbajo to the Googleplex today – great to chat with him about the opportunities of Nigeria's digital economy pic.twitter.com/XbUBytOpx1
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) July 10, 2018
On arrival at the Valley, Prof. Osinbajo made a trip to the Amphitheatre, the headquarters of the search giant, Google Inc. He was graciously received by Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai and had talks with Mr. Pichai and several Google executives.
At the Fireside chat with Allen Blue, Co-Founder of LinkedIn, I described the role the role of the recently inaugurated Technology and Creativity Advisory Group to drive policy in tech innovation and entertainment. pic.twitter.com/vp2O7Lm1ID
— Prof Yemi Osinbajo (@ProfOsinbajo) July 10, 2018
The Vice President also had talks with the co-founder of networking website, LinkedIn, Allen Blue.
He further participated in a series of investment forums interacting with key investors as he promoted Nigerian tech innovations.
From Silicon Valley to Hollywood
Prof. Osinbajo wasn’t solely in California for tech; he also made a trip to Hollywood to promote Nigeria’s Nollywood industry.
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo with Tuface Idibia at the Nigeria meets Hollywood meeting on investing in Nigeria
Paramount, Universal studios, Warner Bros
20 Century Fox, IMAX Entertainment, Disney were all part of this meeting.#VPAtHollywood#VPInHollywood pic.twitter.com/4Aq3iqbuRn— ilsa aida (@IlsaAida) July 11, 2018
According to his media aide, Laolu Akande, the Vice President held meetings with some American entertainment companies. Executives from entertainment powerhouses like Fox, Disney, Warner Bros, and Universal Studios also took part in the meeting.
The tour ends today and Prof. Osinbajo is scheduled to return to Nigeria later today.
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