SPOTLIGHT: 5 Northern ICT Wizkids Transforming Nigeria’s Tech Space
By Tahir Ahmad,
Northern Nigeria is often overlooked in conversations about technological innovation, but a new wave of ICT inventors from the region is challenging that narrative.
These individuals are not just building apps or running startups—they are redefining what is possible in communities historically underrepresented in Nigeria’s tech evolution.
Here are five standout inventors from Northern Nigeria whose work is reshaping the region’s ICT landscape:
1. Mohammed Ibrahim Jega – The Startup Mobilizer
Mohammed Jega, founder of StartUp Arewa, is a pioneer in northern tech development. Since 2016, his initiative has mentored and supported ICT talents across 19 northern states.
Jega has championed the creation of innovation hubs in places like Gombe, Yobe, and Katsina—transforming them into mini tech ecosystems. His work focuses on using digital tools to solve local problems, from agriculture to financial inclusion.
2. Maryam Lawan Gwadabe – The Hub Builder
At just 24, Maryam founded Blue Sapphire Hub in Kano—arguably the city’s first tech-preneurship centre. Since 2017, the hub has incubated dozens of startups, hosted coding bootcamps, and provided digital skills training for youth and women.
Her Young Minds Ideation programme introduced entrepreneurship and tech innovation to hundreds of secondary school students.
3. Mustapha Gajibo – The Electric Vehicle Innovator
Based in Borno State, Mustapha Gajibo is making global headlines with Phoenix Renewables, where he engineers solar-powered electric vehicles.
His EVs—built completely from scratch in Nigeria—can cover up to 200 kilometers on a single charge. Gajibo also converts old petrol buses to electric, a feat unmatched in Sub-Saharan Africa.
His innovation addresses both transport challenges and climate concerns.
4. Amal Hassan – The Outsourcing Powerhouse
Amal is the founder of Outsource Global, a leading ICT firm providing services like call center operations, software development, and cloud services. Her company has trained and employed thousands—many of them women—in Northern Nigeria.
Amal is also mentoring the next generation of female ICT professionals, breaking barriers in a male-dominated sector.
5. Sanusi Ismaila – The Ecosystem Engineer
As founder of CoLab in Kaduna and co-founder of Aduna Capital, Sanusi has built infrastructure for innovation in Northern Nigeria.
CoLab is Kaduna’s first innovation hub, supporting developers and digital creatives. Through Aduna Capital, Sanusi now funds startups—especially those led by women—in healthtech, edtech, and agritech sectors.
These five innovators are not just building businesses—they are laying down the digital foundations of a new North.
Their efforts have not gone unnoticed. At platforms like the Arewa Tech Fest, a regional innovation summit backed by public and private stakeholders, their work is being celebrated, scaled, and supported.
From coding labs to clean energy vehicles, the tech revolution in Northern Nigeria is being engineered by its own people—bold thinkers with local roots and global visions.
