The Ambassador of Israel to Nigeria, Michael Freeman has disclosed the readiness of his country to partner with Nigeria towards realisation of the policy on the creation of one million jobs through digital economy.
Freeman, who is also the Permanent Representative of Israel to ECOWAS, made the disclosure at a news conference on the official inauguration of the 3rd cohort of the Innovation Fellowship for Aspiring Inventors and Researchers (I-FAIR), yesterday in Abuja.
He said Israel remained excited over plans to partner with President Bola Tinubu’s administration to achieve meaningful growth through digital technology, noting that the first two editions of I-FAIR programme provided young Nigerians with mentorship and tools needed to realise their innovative ideas.
He said many I-FAIR graduates now have various businesses with fellow Nigerians contributing to the economic growth of their fatherland.
Freeman, who said the third edition of I-FAIR had been officially inaugurated, insisted that, “This is the official launch of the 3rd I-FAIR programme since President Tinubu was inaugurated and one of the key focus of his inaugural policy was improving and strengthening Nigeria’s economy.
“He actually spoke specifically on a number of targets, to increase local and foreign investment in Nigeria, also to create one million jobs in the digital economy.
“Israel is the world leader in digital economy and it is also the world leader in manufacturing investment in several other places.
“We buy into this vision and we want to partner President Tinubu and his administration, to help create the environment for investment.
“To help create a million jobs in the digital economy and that is why we are here today, because the I-FAIR programme will help to create jobs, investment and new generation of entrepreneurial Nigerian innovators.”
The envoy said such would boost job creation in the economy through learning from Israeli experience whereby 45 per cent of the GDP was based on human capita and research development.
He described I-FAIR as initiative of Israel through partnership with Nigeria with mandate to empower innovators, inventors and entrepreneurs, and had become flagship of Israel-Nigeria programmes, since their 60years of diplomatic relations.
