Iruoghene Otefia
Hello and welcome to the Techrectory profile of Bosun Tijani, a trailblazing figure in the world of technology, renowned for his leadership and transformative contributions. In this profile article, we will delve into Bosun Tijanis’ journey, his impact on the tech space and his role in fostering collaboration and innovation as a creation catalyst.
Profile Overview;
Olatunbosun Tijani, born on 20th July 1977, is a Nigerian-British entrepreneur with a profound vision, recognized for his pioneering efforts in driving collaboration, innovation, and sustainable growth within the tech ecosystem. As the Co-Founder and CEO of Co-Creation Hub (CcHub), he has redefined the tech scene here in Africa by empowering startups and ideas to achieve success while making a societal impact. Bosun Tijani is currently the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy of the largest populated country in Africa; the Federal Republic of Nigeria. His appointment to the position occurred on August 16, 2023, by the incumbent President; Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
PS: For clarity, Bosun Tijani is from Itoko, Abeokuta South local government, Ogun State. Hewas,however,borninAgege,Lagos.
Early Years and Education:
Bosun Tijani spent his early years in Agege, Lagos, Nigeria, as that was where he was born and raised. Thus, he attended his elementary school there before relocating to Abeokuta for his secondary schooling. Furthermore, he proceeded with his education by enrolling in the University of Jos, therefore, relocating to Jos, Nigeria. Over there, he initially pursued a diploma in computer science after which he switched to Economics and bagged a Bachelor’s degree in that course in the year, 2002. Moving on, he earned a Master’s degree in information systems and management from Warwick Business School in the United Kingdom.
Additionally, the British-Nigerian entrepreneur graduated with a PhD in innovation and economic development from the University of Leicester School of Business in 2023. In particular, it offered an alternate strategy for how African nations could successfully organize their innovation ecosystems. His doctoral research was focused on improving the cognizance and apprehension of the nuances regarding how the network perspective to innovation capacity could provide a contextually relevant framework for explaining the adoption and adaptation of innovation in developing countries.
Allegedly, Bosun Tijani’s passion for technology was ignited during his teen and early adult years, underpinning and shaping him for the future ahead. His educational path, leading him to obtain degrees in both innovation and economic development and information systems and management uniquely furnishes him with the needed tech expertise as well as strategic insight. Hence, his current ministerial position.
Co-Creation Hub (CcHub):
A Hub of Innovation. One of Bosun Tijani’s immense achievements is the establishment of the Co-Creation Hub (CcHub) – a technology innovation platform committed to expediting the application of social capital and technological innovation for economic well-being. An innovative hub that has played a pivotal role in Africa’s tech renaissance. Bosun Tijani co-founded CcHub in 2010.
He created an atmosphere at CcHub that brings together innovators, entrepreneurs and investors to work collectively in order to generate ideas and develop sterling solutions to various problems. CcHub is quite an absolute nexus of innovation!
Driving Change and Empowering Entrepreneurs:
Under the leadership of Bosun Tijani, CcHub successfully influenced and aided the growth of a remarkable range of startups that are reshaping various industries and making a tremendous positive difference. His solid dedication to empowering entrepreneurs has positioned CcHub as a reputable player in Africa’s technological revolution. By the way, it was Bosun Tijani who instigated Mark Zuckerberg’s first visit to Lagos during his first trip to Sub-Saharan Africa.
In addition to his continuous work with CcHub, Bosun Tijani is currently engaged in several projects both within and outside the precincts of the tech space. some of them are Truppr, Stemcafe (2019), Prestigious Memberships – Desmond Tutu Leadership, Centre for Democracy and the Rule of Law at Stanford University, EU Advisory Group on Research and Innovation (2021), etcetera.
Speaking Engagements and Thought Leadership:
Bosun Tijani is quite a prolific speaker. His oracy skills fused with his excellent expertise and tremendous industry perspective offer unique guidance, inspire innovation, and influence a wide range of people in the technological space. This collection of adroitness makes him a speaker of great repute that is rather valuable, compelling profound attention and highly sought after by both local and international establishments. His innovative thinking has encouraged numerous people to investigate the virtually endless potential of tech-driven solutions.
In conclusion, Bosun Tijani is apparently a beacon of light in the African Technological Ecosystem. His goals trumps and exceeds his current accomplishments. He envisions technology as a viaduct for bringing together numerous stakeholders and fostering sustainable progress in a variety of sectors and communities. To round off this narrative, I’ll post two quotes of his. One of his recent posts on Twitter / X regarding his ministerial appointment goes;
“It’s an exciting time to build a bigger and better future for all Nigerians. Grateful to the President @officialABAT for the opportunity to join his team working to deliver a more inclusive and prosperous Nigeria…”
Years ago, when asked in an interview how much damage he thought his work protecting Nigeria’s tech community (which brought international attention through the #StopRobbingUs campaign) could have on Nigeria’s tech ecosystem, here’s what he said;
“The strength of Nigeria’s tech ecosystem lies in its talent and there’s serious danger this could be lost. It’s quite simple – they won’t tolerate a society that doesn’t represent or support them, especially as demand grows for their skills. Why would a professional in any sector want to stay in a country that doesn’t protect them from extortion and physical attacks? That’s why we are mobilizing so we can provide a safe environment for talent to provide the solutions the country needs to move forward. It’s critical that they stay in Nigeria and contribute to the sector and the wider economy. We want to see action from the government to put an end to intimidation and extortion, so we can get on as a business community and build out Nigeria’s tech infrastructure.”
Based on the current situation of things in Nigeria’s tech ecosystem which is indicative of his words above, it’s safe to draw an inference that he was right.
