Anambra’s tech landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, emerging from relative obscurity to become a vibrant hub of innovation and entrepreneurship. While the state capital, Awka, still trails behind established tech centers like Lagos, Abuja, Oyo and Enugu in terms of startup density, it has rapidly gained recognition through strategic initiatives and grassroots community building.
This burgeoning potential was on full display at the 2024 Anambra Innovation Week held in late October, which attracted over 5,000 participants and distributed ₦100 million in grants to more than 15 promising startups. The event has been hailed as a catalyst for local innovation and investment in the region.
The Visionary Behind the Movement
At the center of this tech renaissance stands Zikora Chukwuka, a former operations manager who left a comfortable career in Lagos to return to his home state in 2022. Recognizing the untapped potential of Anambra’s youth, Zikora set out on a mission to create opportunities that would prevent talent migration and foster local innovation.
“While working in Lagos with a tech startup, I saw firsthand how technology was changing the lives of young people,” Zikora recalls. “At one particular event we sponsored, I watched teenagers share stories about how technology was transforming their financial fortunes and those of their families. That was my moment of clarity—I knew then that I had to bring this opportunity home to Anambra.”
Building From the Ground Up
Upon returning to Anambra, Zikora founded two complementary organizations: Anambra Techies and the Anambra Startup Network. These initiatives address different aspects of what he identifies as the three essential elements for building a digital economy: talent, innovative startups, and capital.
“Anambra Techies is exclusively focused on raising world-class tech talents in the state,” he explains, “while Anambra Startup Network is helping build a thriving startup ecosystem.”
Through grassroots meetups, strategic partnerships, and an unwavering focus on inclusion, Zikora has been instrumental in uniting talent, capital, and policy to power the region’s tech transformation.
Creating Opportunities That Matter
The impact of Zikora’s work is perhaps best illustrated through the success stories of community members who have benefited from his networks. He shares the story of Precious, a community manager whom he recommended for a role with a US company despite being relatively new to developer relations.
“Precious was onboarded on the basis of my reputation and, by extension, the community’s reputation,” Zikora notes proudly. “There has been a similar pattern where I get all sorts of requests from global brands looking to hire from our community.”
Another recent success involved Somto, who now earns “A million naira plus monthly” based solely on Zikora’s recommendation. These examples highlight the tangible opportunities being created through his ecosystem-building efforts.
Keeping Talent Local
A central mission for Zikora has been preventing talent migration—keeping skilled individuals in Anambra rather than losing them to larger tech hubs or overseas opportunities. His approach focuses on demonstrating the power of remote work and global connectivity.
“The major work we’ve done is to show the power of remote work even when there are no opportunities locally,” he explains. “Whether that’s through open source contribution, creating awareness and educating the community on web3, or organizing Anambra’s first virtual career fair, we are constantly helping talents know that location is not a barrier. You can work from here in Anambra for any company in the world if you are world-class.”
Seeding the Future
Zikora played a key role in organizing both Techcon 2023—Anambra’s first tech conference—and the 2024 Anambra Innovation week, An initiative by the Solution Innovation District (SID), the state’s innovation hub, which awarded over ₦100 million in cash prizes to startups through its flagship Battle4Solutions competition. He views these efforts as “seeds” that may not bear immediate fruit but will eventually produce “outsized results” for the ecosystem.
“Founders are seeing what is possible and are both encouraged and inspired to do more, to build, to dream, and solve problems knowing that they are seen and supported here in Anambra,” he reflects.
The Untapped Potential of Eastern Nigeria
When asked about overlooked sectors in Eastern Nigeria with billion-dollar potential, Zikora identifies several promising opportunities: talent outsourcing, credit systems, agriculture, and the digitization of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“The southeast is a treasure island currently being conquered by the few who are not afraid to explore uncharted waters—ask Monie point,” he says with a laugh, referencing a successful fintech company that has tapped into the region’s potential.
Challenges and Reality Checks
Despite the progress, Anambra still ranks 13th in Nigeria’s startup ecosystem rankings according to StartupBlink, trailing behind Lagos, Abuja, and ten other states in startup density. Zikora acknowledges the challenges ahead with characteristic candor.
“People need to realize the amount of work it takes to build a thriving tech ecosystem,” he states. “You need talent, business support, and capital. We are currently building all three from scratch.”
He notes that they’ve made progress with talent development and are working to create a self-reinforcing support system for startups through the Startup Network. The third pillar—capital, particularly angel investments—remains an ongoing challenge that Zikora is “thinking really long and hard about.”
The Government’s Potential Role
When it comes to infrastructure and policy changes that could accelerate growth, Zikora sees digitization of government services as the highest-impact opportunity.
“The government has the power to be the biggest boost to the tech ecosystem in Anambra,” he asserts. “Not necessarily through funding but through digitization of all government services in the state.”
Such a move, he believes, would institutionalize innovation, demonstrate the importance of technology across sectors, and stimulate the digital economy through increased activity. He also mentions the potential benefits of establishing an investment guarantee fund to attract capital and fully implementing the Nigerian Startup Act.
Anambra’s Unique Advantage
Despite the challenges, Zikora identifies a significant competitive advantage that sets Anambra apart from other emerging tech hubs: “We have an extremely connected, experienced, and wealthy diaspora population. We are yet to tap into that humongous resource that is our diaspora. I personally think that this is an unfair advantage that we have as an ecosystem.”
Perseverance Through Challenges
Like many ecosystem builders, Zikora has faced moments of doubt and considered giving up on his mission. What keeps him going, he says, is the impact his work has on individuals.
“I hear people tell me how my work has changed their life, how I am the reason they believe in Anambra state. How they have made lifelong friends, met their spouse, gotten opportunities because of the community we have built. All of this keeps me going.”
His vision for Anambra is ambitious: to become “one of Africa’s foremost technology ecosystems,” and he remains committed to seeing it through to completion.
Looking to the Future
On the subject of AI and emerging tech trends, Zikora offers a pragmatic perspective. He believes concerns about AI replacing jobs are overblown and advises young people to “embrace AI as a tool” while continuing to develop their unique talents.
“Just like we got calculators and still need mathematicians, they should build on their gifts and talents till they become world-class,” he counsels. “No matter how good AI gets, it will never be a replacement for the person who constantly learns, grows, and gets better.”
As for what’s next in Anambra’s tech story? Zikora responds with characteristic humor and ambition: “Fingers crossed. I could become the next governor, lol.”
With his track record of vision and implementation, few would be surprised if Zikora’s influence on Anambra’s development continues to grow in unexpected ways.