Building a Borderless Economy: How Itana is Creating Africa’s First Digital Special Economic Zone with Nkechi Oguchi

Episode 184 with Nkechi Oguchi, Chief Marketing and Community Officer at Itana, Africa’s First Digital Special Economic Zone. As Chief Marketing and Community Officer, Nkechi is at the forefront of positioning Itana as the digital jurisdiction of choice for technology and service-based businesses operating in Africa.

In this episode, Nkechi unpacks Itana’s bold vision: a one-stop digital platform that allows startups and scale-ups to incorporate, access banking, secure business visas, and operate tax-efficiently within a regulatory environment designed for the digital economy. She discusses how Itana’s partnership with the Nigerian government and initiatives like the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP) are creating new pathways for accessing talent, unlocking digital trade, and building community at scale.

Nkechi shares how Itana is redefining the role of free zones in the age of remote-first operations and pan-African scale, and why a future-forward, community-driven approach is essential for stimulating Africa’s digital transformation.

What We Discuss With Nkechi

• The evolution from Talent City to Itana, and how this shift reflects a broader ambition to build Africa’s first fully digital, business-friendly jurisdiction.
• How Itana enables global startups and digital service providers to incorporate remotely, access African markets, and scale operations with ease.
• The strategic role of community in Itana’s model and how ecosystem-building, talent pipelines, and mentorship drive value for both founders and investors.
• The significance of the recent MOU with Nigeria’s Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, and how it supports job creation and digital trade through NATEP.
• The importance of policy stability, regulatory innovation, and international partnerships in attracting foreign direct investment to Nigeria’s digital economy.

Verto Corner
This week in Verto Corner, Austin Okpagu, Country Manager for Nigeria at Verto, explains why more businesses are shifting away from traditional international payment methods and choosing to pay locally instead. 

With legacy systems like SWIFT often slow, expensive, and routed through multiple intermediaries, Austin highlights how local payment rails offer faster, more cost-effective solutions for companies working with partners in markets like Nigeria and Kenya. 

He shares insights on how local payouts improve cash flow, reduce transaction costs, and create stronger relationships with suppliers and customers.

Discover how our Verto's solutions can help you accept payments, manage expenses, and scale effortlessly. 

Visit Verto to get started.

Did you miss my previous episode where I discus From Soil Sensors to Farm Analytics: Using Technology to Improve Soil Health and Food Security in Africa? Make sure to check it out!

Connect with Terser:
LinkedIn – Terser Adamu
Instagram – unlockingafrica
Twitter (X) – @TerserAdamu

Connect with Nkechi:
LinkedIn – Nkechi (Oti) Oguchi
Twitter – @heynkechi

Discover how Verto’s solutions can help you accept payments, manage expenses, and scale with ease here