Nigeria’s first lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has urged the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to ensure young people across the country can access opportunities at a $10.4 million startup hub being developed in Abuja with funding from Japan.
Tinubu made the call while laying the foundation stone for the Renewed Hope Startup Hub, funded through a $10.4 million grant from the Japanese government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), as Nigeria seeks to expand technology entrepreneurship, create jobs and strengthen its digital economy.
She said the facility should provide young Nigerians with the resources to transform ideas into working prototypes, viable businesses and products capable of competing in international markets.
The First Lady stressed that access to the hub should not be limited by geography or background, urging NITDA to ensure that its benefits extend beyond Abuja to aspiring entrepreneurs across the country.
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“The benefits of this project should extend beyond Abuja, giving aspiring entrepreneurs from different parts of the country an opportunity to participate in Nigeria’s growing digital economy,” she said.
The proposed hub is expected to serve as a national centre for startup incubation, hardware prototyping, research and international business collaboration. It will provide facilities for innovators to develop and test ideas, build prototypes and explore opportunities to commercialise their products and services.
Tinubu said the project aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises youth empowerment through entrepreneurship, skills development and sustainable job creation.
She also commended Japan for providing the grant, describing the partnership as evidence of a shared commitment to developing Nigeria’s digital ecosystem and harnessing the potential of its young population.
Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, director-general of NITDA, said the project was intended to create opportunities for young Nigerians to turn their ideas into businesses and solutions to local and global challenges.
He said NITDA was also working to ensure that every state had at least two functioning innovation hubs where young entrepreneurs could access incubation programmes and develop market-ready products and services.
The initiative builds on existing startup support programmes implemented by NITDA and JICA through the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI).
According to Abdullahi, ONDI’s initiatives have supported more than 995 startups and contributed to the creation of 7,596 jobs. In addition, 300 companies received training through a digital export acceleration programme over the past three years.
He said the iHatch programme, jointly developed by NITDA and JICA in 2023, trained 333 startups across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory between 2025 and early 2026. The programme also trained 74 hub managers.
NITDA’s partnership with JICA has also supported women-led businesses through initiatives including We Elevate and IgniteHatch. Abdullahi said 224 women-owned enterprises had received training through the programmes, while 12 founders were sponsored to Japan and one beneficiary secured a $500,000 grant.
Beyond infrastructure and training, the Japanese government is working with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) to establish a proposed $50 million seed-funding facility for startups.
The facility is expected to strengthen early-stage financing, support entrepreneurship and create further opportunities in Nigeria’s digital economy.
Hideo Suzuki, Japanese ambassador to Nigeria, said Japan’s support for the country’s startup ecosystem was built around three pillars: strengthening policies and institutions, supporting early-stage investment and providing infrastructure through the Renewed Hope Startup Hub.
He said the hub would provide digital fabrication equipment and collaborative spaces to help entrepreneurs develop viable businesses, connect with international partners and contribute to Nigeria’s economic diversification.
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Suzuki added that Japan’s approach was focused on nurturing businesses over the long term, while deepening economic ties between both countries.
The project comes as Nigeria seeks to broaden participation in its digital economy by improving access to infrastructure, financing and entrepreneurial support. However, the extent to which young innovators outside Abuja will benefit will depend on how effectively the facility’s programmes are made accessible nationwide and how NITDA delivers on its plan to expand the network of functioning innovation hubs across the states.
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Royal Ibeh is a senior journalist with years of experience reporting on Nigeria’s technology and health sectors. She currently covers the Technology and Health beats for BusinessDay newspaper, where she writes in-depth stories on digital innovation, telecom infrastructure, healthcare systems, and public health policies.
