On Monday, the Imo government signed a memorandum of understanding with U.S.-Mac, a United States-based digital marketing company, to establish an Imo Digital city.

In a speech at the brief ceremony at the Government House, Owerri, Governor Hope Uzodimma said the project aimed to boost employment opportunities and create a digital economy for the state.

He said his administration had strived to create a digital economy that could empower Imo youths and create over 300,000 jobs through the Skill-Up Imo Programme.

He said the programme had “graduated 40,000 youths, most of them are gainfully employed, while some of them have started their own businesses.”

Mr Uzodimma said the MoU with US-Mac would add “impetus and help expedite the realisation of the vision of a digital economy for Imo.”

He said Imo was partnering other well-known companies and organisations, such as Cisco, Microsoft, Zinox Technologies, Konga, SP, and the European Union Digital SME Alliance.

The governor said the partnerships aim to turn the state’s economy around and make it Nigeria’s economic base and technology hub.

He also said the state agreed with the United Nations Development Programme to create 1,000 jobs annually.

He commended the partners and urged the management of U.S.-Mac to be committed to keeping the terms of the agreement, and promised not to disappoint in their expectations as a government.

The leader of the delegation and managing director of U.S.-Mac Company, Chris Burry, signed the agreement on behalf of the company, and Cosmos Iwu, the SSG, signed it for the Imo government.

(NAN)