The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced a $10.4 million commitment from the Japanese government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA. NITDA said the fund is meant to expand Nigeria’s innovation hub and strengthen the country’s startup ecosystem.
The director-general and chief executive officer of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, disclosed this during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Renewed Hope Startup Hub in Wuye, Abuja. The NITDA boss described the project as an investment in young Nigerians, innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation.
He also revealed that a proposed $50 million seed funding initiative for startups, being developed in collaboration with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), has been approved and signed off, with funding expected to become accessible to startups once the facility is ready.
Abdullahi said the new innovation hub would provide opportunities for young Nigerians to transform their ideas into products and services capable of addressing national challenges and competing in the global market.
“We are laying the foundation, not just for a new innovation hub, but for new enterprises, new opportunities, new partnerships, and a future where our youth’s ideas can be turned into solutions to our national problems and global challenges,” he said.
The NITDA boss commended the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, for her commitment to empowering women, young people and vulnerable communities, noting that inclusive participation was essential to national development and shared prosperity.
He said the agency was implementing several programmes to nurture Nigeria’s digital innovation ecosystem, including initiatives under the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI) and the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.
According to him, NITDA established and equipped its innovation facility in 2021 with world-class fabrication equipment to support young innovators in developing their ideas into market-ready products and services.
Providing an update on the agency’s achievements, Abdullahi said more than 300 companies had received training through digital export acceleration programmes over the past three years, while more than 995 startups had benefited from ONDI’s broader initiatives.
He added that the programmes had contributed to the creation of approximately 7,596 jobs, while 1,752 women had received support through the “We Elevate” initiative.
Also speaking, the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Japan to Nigeria, Hideo Suzuki, said the Japanese government, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), provided a grant to Nigeria for the development of a Start-up Hub in Abuja.
Suzuki said the grant secured by NITDA was signed on behalf of the federal government of Nigeria by the minister of budget and economic planning on April 10, 2025.
He narrated that the hub forms part of NITDA’s implementation of the Nigeria Startup Act, which aims to make Nigeria the innovation hub of Africa, with its emphasis on youth empowerment through entrepreneurship, skill development and job creation. When completed, the hub will host the state-of-the-art facilities that young people need to foster innovation.
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu commended NITDA and the government of Japan for partnering to establish the Renewed Hope Startup Hub in Wuye, Abuja, describing the initiative as a significant step towards youth empowerment, technological advancement and digital inclusion.
She highlighted the importance of investing in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem to unlock opportunities for young people and strengthen the country’s position in the global technology industry.
The first lady expressed appreciation to the government of Japan for providing the strategic grant that made the project possible.
According to her, the partnership demonstrates a shared commitment to harnessing Nigeria’s vast digital potential and its vibrant youth population.
The first lady also commended NITDA’s director-general and his team for their commitment to securing the partnership and promoting initiatives that equip young Nigerians with relevant digital skills.
