Soludo Courts Canadian Innovation Hubs, Vows To Build World-Class Tech Ecosystem In Anambra

CHRISTIAN ABURIME 

The Executive Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transforming the state into a technology- and innovation-driven economy following a series of high-level strategic engagements with leading tech institutions in Brampton and Toronto, Canada.

The visits, which form part of the governor’s ongoing efforts to deepen Anambra’s innovation, enterprise, healthcare, and investment ecosystem, focused on learning from established global models, fostering collaboration, and adapting international best practices to the state’s development agenda.

During the Canadian tour, Governor Soludo inspected the Brampton Innovation District and held extensive discussions with its leadership and a network of incubators, accelerators, and innovation institutions. Key engagements included interactions with Altitude Accelerator, Brampton Venture Zone, Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, and BHive, facilities widely regarded as pillars of Canada’s thriving innovation landscape.

The governor also met with the Brampton Board of Trade and conducted a tour of the Toronto Metropolitan University Medical School, underscoring the breadth of Anambra’s interests spanning technology, enterprise, and healthcare.

Speaking on the significance of the engagements, Governor Soludo said he was particularly keen on understanding the critical success factors behind thriving innovation ecosystems, including the role of institutions, infrastructure, talent pipelines, private-sector partnerships, and deliberate public-sector interventions in translating innovation into jobs, businesses, investment, and improved public services.

“The goal is not only to build physical infrastructure, but to create a complete ecosystem where talent can thrive, startups can scale, businesses can innovate, technology can improve public services, and young people can compete successfully on the global stage,” the governor stated.

Soludo noted that the engagements offered critical lessons for Anambra as the state advances its broader economic transformation agenda, adding that the experience has reinforced his administration’s determination to be “even more intentional” in developing the state’s Solution Innovation District and the wider innovation ecosystem surrounding it.

The governor stressed that Anambra would continue to draw from leading global models while adapting best practices to local realities, with the aim of building a future in which technology, innovation, enterprise, and human capital serve as powerful drivers of inclusive prosperity.

“The vision for the state remains clear: to build in Anambra, innovate in Anambra, create in Anambra, and compete with the world,” Soludo declared.

The Canadian engagement is the latest in a string of international partnerships the Soludo administration has pursued since assuming office, as part of a broader strategy to position Anambra State as a competitive player in the global knowledge and digital economy.

The governor was accompanied by some key government functionaries of his administration during the visit.