By Emmanuella Oghenetega
The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has made public the commencement of a $11.2 million innovation hub in Abuja, in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The partnership, which is in collaboration with the Chief Consultant, Consortium of Oriental Consultants Global Co. Ltd., Intem Consulting Inc., and Yachiyo Engineering Co. Ltd., was formalised with the signing of an agreement for the implementation of the Startup Hub Project.
Also, the project, backed by a $11.2 million grant from JICA, is designed to significantly boost Nigeria’s innovation landscape by providing vital infrastructure and support for startups and serving as a centre for creativity, research, and technological development.
Earlier this year, the Federal Government of Nigeria entered into a $30 million grant agreement with JICA for the establishment of Startup Hubs in Abuja.
The project consists of two major components: the first, a $9.9 million initiative to be implemented by NITDA, focuses on the development of a dedicated Startup Hub; the second, valued at $21 million and to be executed by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), aims to create a supportive environment for the growth of social startups across the country.
Speaking, the DG of NITDA disclosed, that the project began with the launch of the iHatch, an initiative designed to co-train and incubate startups, supported with seed funding by JICA.
He further revealed, that to strengthen the relationship, JICA decided to give a grant to build an innovation hub, “so that after training the startups, they can have access to a makerspace where they can turn their ideas into products and services, JICA is giving us a grant worth of $11.2 million to build this innovation hub.”
The DG also commended the collaborative efforts aimed at deepening the relationship between the Nigerian and Japanese technology ecosystems.
He stated, that the aim, is about building an entire ecosystem, “we are not just training startups, we are also giving them the tools, the environment, and the financing they need to thrive.”
“It will serve as a critical bridge between training and commercialisation, offering a conducive environment for startups to brainstorm, experiment, and scale their businesses.
“By equipping innovators with the resources that they need to thrive, such as mentorship, incubation support, and access to seed funding, the project aims to strengthen Nigeria’s position as a leading tech and innovation hub in Africa.”
