As the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ogun State, prepares for its 16th Convocation Ceremony, the Minister for Communication, Innovations & Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, will be delivering this year’s Convocation Lecture.
The lecture titled: “From Classroom To Cloud, Leveraging Digital Literacy For National Development,” will be held on Thursday, November 28, 2024, at the University Auditorium, Ijagun Main Campus.
This was contained in a statement singed by Mr Sunday Oladapo Oke, the Registrar of the institution.
Dr Bosun Tijani, born on 20th July 1977 in Ogun State, Nigeria, is a Nigerian-British Entrepreneur and the nation’s current Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy.
He assumed this position on 21st August 2023 under President Bola Tinubu administration.
Tijani spent his early years in Agege, Lagos, before moving to Abeokuta for his secondary Education.
In 1996, he began his higher Education at the University of Jos, Nigeria, initially pursuing a Diploma in Computer Science but later switched to Economics, in which he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in 2002.
In 2007, he earned a MSc in Information Systems and Management from Warwick Business School, UK.
His pursuit of further academic excellence led him to complete a PhD in Innovation and Economic Development in 2023 at the University of Leicester, where his research focused on innovation ecosystems in developing countries, particularly Africa.
Additionally, he participated in the Innovation for Economic Development Executive Programme at Harvard Kennedy School in 2013 and was a Draper Hills Fellow at Stanford University in 2014.
Tijani’s professional career began at the International Trade Centre (ITC) in Geneva, Switzerland, where he worked as a Fellow from 2006 to 2007.
During this time, he led the development of web marketing and information services programmes in Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa, and Tanzania, focusing on enterprise management and trade development.
He then joined Hewlett Packard (HP), where he managed several impactful projects, including the deployment of the ODel learning center at the Africa Virtual University in Kenya, the telecenter at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria, and the HP Micro-enterprise Acceleration Programme at Lagos Business School.
His work extended to Egypt and Morocco, supporting the establishment of learning centers in these countries.
In 2007, Tijani moved to the Pera Innovation Network, where he served as European Innovation Manager.
He coordinated innovation agencies across Europe, managed the Pan-European Research Network of Universities in Framework Programme 7, and led the INNOTEX Project, which developed best practices for Entrepreneurial innovation in the technical textile sector across the UK, Spain, Estonia, and Denmark.
In 2010, Tijani co-founded Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB), a Technology Innovation Center in Lagos. Under his leadership, CcHUB drove social innovation across various sectors in Nigeria, contributing to the development of Yaba as a major tech hub.
Key initiatives under his direction included projects like Wecyclers (environment), BudgIT (fiscal transparency), LifeBank (healthcare), and re:learn (Education).
In 2019, CcHUB expanded by acquiring Kenya’s iHub and launching the CcHUB Design Lab in Kigali, Rwanda. Tijani also holds a visiting Adjunct Professor position at the Wits School of Governance.
Throughout his career, Tijani has been recognized for his contributions to innovation and technology, particularly in Africa, and remains an influential figure in shaping Nigeria’s digital economy.
Apart from his core mandate, the guest lecturer is also supporting the present government’s war against hunger and encouraging farming, as he has invested in food and cash crop farming in Imasayi, Ogun State, where he has introduced innovations like drones to agriculture.
Tijani is married to Moji Tijani and they are blessed with three children.
