From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to youth empowerment through technology and entrepreneurship, as she performed the foundation-laying ceremony for a $10.4 million Renewed Hope Startup Hub in Abuja. The facility, located in Wuye, is being developed through a partnership between the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Government of Japan, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Speaking at the ceremony on Friday, the First Lady described the project as a significant step towards technological advancement, digital inclusion and the empowerment of young Nigerians.
She said the establishment of startup hubs across the country aligned with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises entrepreneurship, skills development and sustainable job creation.
According to her, the initiative is designed to equip young Nigerians with the capacity to compete and thrive in the global economy.
“To our young innovators, this Startup Hub is yours. You can arrive here with a sketch and leave with a working prototype that takes you into the global market space. Let this hub be the home where your dreams are nurtured and scaled,” she said.
Mrs. Tinubu commended the Japanese government for supporting the project, describing the partnership as evidence of a shared commitment to unlocking the potential of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem and its youthful population.
“I want to acknowledge and express our appreciation to the Government of Japan, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), for providing the strategic grant that has made this intervention possible,” she said.
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, said the agency’s partnership with JICA, which began in 2021, had focused on strengthening Nigeria’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem through capacity building, knowledge transfer, infrastructure development and international collaboration.