First Lady Unveils $10.4m Startup Hub to Empower Nigerian Youths

"The project, funded through a grant from the Japanese government under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in partnership with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), is expected to provide facilities for startup incubation, hardware prototyping, research and international business collaboration."

..... As Mrs Tinubu describes the project "as a significant investment in Nigeria’s technological advancement and the entrepreneurial potential of its youthful population."

..... "Challenges young innovators to maximise the opportunities the facility would provide, noting that it should enable them to transform their ideas into practical solutions and competitive businesses.

..... "Praised the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, and his team for facilitating the partnership, noting that the establishment of startup hubs aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

..... Says "the administration’s focus on entrepreneurship, skills development and sustainable job creation is aimed at equipping Nigerian youths with the capacity to compete effectively in the global economy."

"The project was designed not merely as a physical space for innovation but as a platform for creating new businesses, partnerships and employment opportunities." Abdullahi, DG NITDA 

..... Says "the initiative aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda’s emphasis on economic diversification through digitalisation and innovation. It would help young Nigerians develop solutions to national and global challenges."

The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has laid the foundation stone for the Renewed Hope Startup Hub in Abuja, a $10.4 million initiative designed to promote technological innovation, empower young entrepreneurs and create jobs in Nigeria’s digital economy.

The project, funded through a grant from the Japanese government under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in partnership with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), is expected to provide facilities for startup incubation, hardware prototyping, research and international business collaboration.

Speaking at the foundation-laying ceremony, Mrs Tinubu described the project as a significant investment in Nigeria’s technological advancement and the entrepreneurial potential of its youthful population.

She challenged young innovators to maximise the opportunities the facility would provide, noting that it should enable them to transform their ideas into practical solutions and competitive businesses.

“You can arrive here with a sketch and leave with a working prototype that takes you into the global market space,” she said.

The First Lady commended the Japanese government and JICA for supporting the initiative, describing the partnership as a demonstration of confidence in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem and the potential of its young people.

She also praised the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, and his team for facilitating the partnership, noting that the establishment of startup hubs aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

According to her, the administration’s focus on entrepreneurship, skills development and sustainable job creation is aimed at equipping Nigerian youths with the capacity to compete effectively in the global economy.

Mrs Tinubu urged NITDA to ensure that the facility would be accessible to young people across the country, irrespective of their geographical location or background.

She stressed that the benefits of the project should extend beyond Abuja, providing aspiring entrepreneurs nationwide with opportunities to participate in the digital economy.

The First Lady expressed optimism that the hub would contribute to youth empowerment and national prosperity, urging stakeholders to ensure that it became more than a physical structure by providing practical support for innovators to develop their ideas, establish businesses and access international markets.

Earlier, Abdullahi said the project was designed not merely as a physical space for innovation but as a platform for creating new businesses, partnerships and employment opportunities.

He said the initiative aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda’s emphasis on economic diversification through digitalisation and innovation, adding that it would help young Nigerians develop solutions to national and global challenges.

“Today, we are laying the foundation, not just for an innovation hub, but for new enterprises, new opportunities, new partnerships, and a future where our youth ideas can be turned and used to solve our national problems and global challenges,” he said.

The NITDA director-general described the country’s young population as a major national asset, citing their creativity, resilience and entrepreneurial ambition as critical drivers of economic growth.

He also highlighted the achievements of NITDA’s subsidiaries, the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI) and the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), in strengthening the country’s startup ecosystem.

According to him, ONDI-supported initiatives have reached more than 995 startups and contributed to the creation of 7,596 jobs, while 300 companies received training through a digital export acceleration programme over the past three years.

Abdullahi further disclosed that 333 startups had benefited from the iHatch programme, jointly developed by NITDA and JICA through ONDI in 2023, between 2025 and early 2026.

The programme covered Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, while 74 hub managers also received training to strengthen the delivery of incubation and entrepreneurship support.

He said the expansion reflected the agency’s determination to make opportunities for building technology-driven businesses accessible to young Nigerians across the country.

The director-general also cited the We Elevate and IgniteHatch initiatives, designed to support women entrepreneurs, disclosing that 224 women-owned businesses had received training through the programmes.

He added that 12 founders had been sponsored to Japan, while one beneficiary secured a grant worth $500,000.

To further expand access to innovation infrastructure, Abdullahi said NITDA was working towards ensuring that every state had at least two functional innovation hubs where young entrepreneurs could access incubation programmes and develop market-ready products and services.

He also disclosed that JICA was collaborating with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) to establish a $50 million seed-funding facility for startups.

According to him, the proposed facility would strengthen entrepreneurship, support job creation in the digital economy and expand opportunities for Nigerian youths.

The NITDA chief expressed appreciation to the First Lady for laying the foundation stone, assuring that the agency would sustain its collaboration with JICA and the Japanese government to expand opportunities for Nigerian innovators.

Also speaking, the Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Hideo Suzuki, said the project reflected more than six decades of diplomatic relations between both countries, with cooperation increasingly focused on technology, innovation and human capital development.

He explained that Japan’s support for Nigeria’s startup ecosystem was anchored on three key areas: strengthening policies and institutions, supporting early-stage investment, and providing infrastructure through the Renewed Hope Startup Hub.

Suzuki said the facility would offer entrepreneurs access to modern equipment, digital fabrication tools and collaborative spaces to develop their ideas into viable businesses.

He added that the hub would also enable innovators to connect with international partners and contribute to Nigeria’s economic diversification.

The ambassador said Japan’s approach was focused on nurturing businesses for sustainable, long-term growth rather than pursuing quick financial returns.

He noted that the initiative aligned with Nigeria’s digital transformation and economic diversification objectives, while supporting Japan’s broader efforts to promote industrial development and strengthen economic relations across Africa.

The Renewed Hope Startup Hub is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem by expanding access to technology, business incubation and funding opportunities for young entrepreneurs.