The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and PwC Nigeria have signed an agreement to collaborate on skills transfer, knowledge and competencies.
This collaboration in Africa, according to a statement issued on Sunday, is aimed at catalysing development and policy dialogues that connect and link the private and public sectors with the start-up ecosystem.
At the signing ceremony which took place at PwC’s innovation centre, ‘The Experience Centre,’ in Lagos, Mohamed Yahya, UNDP Nigeria’s Resident Representative, said the collaboration was to ensure innovative solutions to some of the complex development issues facing the continent, using new technology and data.
He said, “We all need digital solutions, we need technology, and we need new ways of getting data to assist in finding a way to spot entrepreneurs and young Nigerians in becoming part of the larger developmental agenda. Signing this agreement today is a testament to the commitment between the two organisations.”
Explaining the choice of PwC, Yahya said “At UNDP, we are the development agency of the UN system. PwC on the other hand has experience in providing professional services to clients. The Experience Centre is a hub, a frontier of new opportunities.”
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In her comments, the Assistant Secretary General and Head of UNDP Africa, Ahunna Eziakonwa, said the initiative, which is geared towards achieving the shared objectives of both institutions, will develop the culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, and employment creation.
Mr. Uyi Akpata, Regional and Country Senior Partner at PwC, expressed PwC’s excitement “to be collaborating with the UNDP to solve Africa’s important problems and drive the development of the continent through creative thinking and technologically-enabled approaches.
“Further, this strategic collaboration with the UNDP is in line with our refreshed global strategy, The New Equation. We, in PwC Africa, have six focus areas based on this refreshed strategy. I’m excited to note these focus areas speak directly to achieving the SDGs. Most importantly, one of the focus areas is partnering, to achieve international development goals,” he added.
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