Lagos – A professional services firm, Deloitte, says it has launched Deloitte Technology Fast50 Africa Programme to identify firms with technological innovations on the continent.

In a statement on Thursday in Lagos, the firm said the programme would also focus on companies that had achieved the fastest rates of revenue growth in Africa over the past five years.

“It is open to companies majorly owned by African citizens who have base operating revenues of at least 70,000 dollars (about N11 million) and a current year operating revenue of at least 500,000 dollars (more than N80 million).

“The companies must be headquartered on the continent and operational for a minimum of five years.

“Companies who wish to enter have to be ones which develop or own proprietary technology that contributes to a significant portion of the company’s operating revenues, and manufactures a technology-related product.

“It should also be a company which devotes a high percentage of effort to research and development of technology and uses global or local technology to build an innovative and sustainable technology business,” the statement said.

The statement said that the award programme would encourage African companies to make durable contributions to technological innovations in Africa.

– NAN