Nigeria, Japan Unveil $11.2M Innovation Hub to Supercharge Startup Ecosystem

DG NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE (middle), signing the agreement document to commence the project on the establishment of the Startup Hub in Abuja

Nigeria, Japan Unveil $11.2M Innovation Hub to Supercharge Startup Ecosystem

By Gloria Sarauniya Usman

ABUJA, NIGERIA June, 2025 -

In a strategic move to position Nigeria as a continental innovation powerhouse, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has partnered with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to launch a $11.2 million Innovation Hub in Abuja—aimed at accelerating the growth of Nigeria’s startup and digital ecosystem.

The project, which enters its implementation phase this month, is a bold step aligned with the Federal Government’s digital transformation and economic diversification agenda, particularly within the Presidential priority to industrialise through innovation.

At its core, the Innovation Hub is more than infrastructure—it is a comprehensive ecosystem designed to incubate ideas, scale startups, and catalyze a new era of technological advancement. It will feature makerspaces, incubation programs, access to mentorship, and seed funding mechanisms.

“We’re not just training startups; we’re giving them the tools, environment, and financing they need to thrive,” said Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, Director-General of NITDA, at the launch announcement.

Inuwa was speaking on behalf of the Nigerian government in a statement that also highlighted the hub's roots in the iHatch initiative—a co-innovation program jointly implemented with JICA to support early-stage startups with seed funding and mentorship.

The initiative is funded by a $11.2 million grant from JICA, and executed in collaboration with a consortium of Japanese firms including Oriental Consultants Global Co. Ltd., Intem Consulting Inc., and Yachiyo Engineering Co. Ltd.

It forms part of a broader $30 million bilateral grant deal between Nigeria and Japan, under which NITDA is implementing a $9.9 million startup support hub, while the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) oversees a $21 million social innovation fund to fuel the growth of impact-driven enterprises.

This investment comes at a time when Africa’s startup economy is emerging as a frontier for global innovation, and Nigeria is poised to lead. According to Inuwa, the new hub is not just about infrastructure, but about building “a bridge between innovation and economic growth.”

By offering a space where entrepreneurs can develop, test, and commercialize ideas, the hub will serve as a launchpad for solutions tailored to Nigerian challenges—with potential for global relevance.

Moreover, the project promotes skills transfer and global collaboration, with Inuwa emphasizing the importance of ongoing exchange programs between Nigerian and Japanese tech communities.

Located in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital and emerging digital city, the project officially began this June 2025. Preliminary design work has commenced, with consultants already on ground and full construction slated to follow in the coming months.

The hub will provide:

• Startup incubation and mentorship

Access to seed funding and investor networks

• Training programs in AI, cybersecurity, cloud, and digital business

• Physical makerspaces for product prototyping

• Linkages to international innovation ecosystems

Once completed, the Innovation Hub is expected to create hundreds of jobs, upskill thousands of youths, and attract foreign and domestic investors seeking entry into Nigeria’s vibrant tech space.

As the digital economy becomes a cornerstone of Nigeria’s growth trajectory, this partnership signals a deliberate shift toward homegrown solutions with global backing.

“This is how nations build the future—through intentional partnerships, long-term investment in innovation, and giving entrepreneurs the resources to scale,” Inuwa concluded.