The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), through its Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), has entered into a strategic partnership with Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB) to provide subsidised sovereign cloud services to startups participating in the iHatch programme.

The collaboration is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s digital ecosystem by promoting data sovereignty, enhancing digital inclusion, and accelerating the growth of indigenous innovation. Under the agreement, startups in the programme will be onboarding onto the Galaxy Cloud Platform (GxCP), a sovereign cloud infrastructure backed by Uptime-certified Tier III and Tier IV data centres, a nationwide fibre network, and advanced cybersecurity systems.

Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, said the initiative underscores the agency’s commitment to building a resilient and globally competitive startup ecosystem by expanding access to critical digital infrastructure.

On his part, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of GBB, Ibrahim Adeyanju, stated that the partnership will enable startups to leverage secure, enterprise-grade cloud services at subsidised rates, while hosting data locally to reinforce Nigeria’s digital sovereignty.

Adeyanju explained that the initiative will adopt a tiered, milestone-based model, with cloud credits released across the “Build, Validate, and Scale” phases of a startup’s development. The credits will remain valid for 12 months, after which beneficiaries will transition to standard or pay-as-you-go billing.

To support implementation, GBB has established a dedicated Startup Success Team to drive adoption, alongside automated usage monitoring systems designed to optimise resource utilisation. In addition, all post-credit billing will be conducted in Nigerian naira to shield startups from foreign exchange volatility.

General Manager of Strategic Partnerships at GBB, Abdul Malik Suleiman, described the initiative as a strategic move to bridge the gap between infrastructure and innovation.

Also speaking, National Coordinator of ONDI, Victoria Fabunmi, noted that integrating GBB’s sovereign cloud services into the iHatch programme would significantly enhance startups’ capacity to scale and compete globally.

The iHatch programme has so far trained over 160 startups across 37 hub partners, with the new partnership expected to further accelerate innovation and growth within Nigeria’s digital economy.

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The Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Kashifu Inuwa has emphasised the transformative potential of advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain in addressing challenges faced by Nigeria’s farmers, noting that these technologies can revolutionise agricultural practices and improve food security.

Inuwa, who was represented by Engr. Salisu Kaka, Director of Digital Economy Department, said this while delivering a keynote speech in Abuja at the Launching of the Survey on the Digitisation of Supply-Chain in Small-Scale Nigerian Farms Project organised by AGROVESTO (an Agritech startup and a beneficiary of the iHatch Incubation Programme Cohort 2) in conjunction with NITDA, Office for Nigeria Digital Innovation (ONDI), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) as partner.

The event’s purpose was to launch a project that will enable small holder farmers in Nigeria to thrive, increase their income, and expand their market opportunities thereby creating wealth and prosperity for the country through agriculture.

Inuwa stated that agriculture employs a significant number of Nigerians and accounts for 25.18 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP in 2023 through crop production, livestock, forestry, and fishing, with crop production taking the largest share; maintaining that digitising the supply chain for small-scale farms offers a transformative solution to the challenges of food security in the country.

He explained that small-scale farmers are the backbone of crop production in Nigeria. Still, they face numerous challenges including limited access to technology, high production costs, limited financing, high post-harvest losses, poor market access, labour shortages, and high labour costs. These issues he noted hinder their productivity and economic potential.

Inuwa affirmed that supply chain optimisation will ensure that small-scale farmers can meet the increasing consumer demands, enhance food quality and safety, and promote and utilise sustainable practices.

“This can be achieved through the adoption of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), which can handle time-demanding tasks using machine learning and predictive modelling; the Internet of Things (IoT), which can monitor crops and generate real-time data to inform automation and best practices; and blockchain, which can provide end-to-end traceability in supply chains with sharable data, building consumer trust and even making it easier to isolate and manage disease outbreaks in crops,” Inuwa said.

He said “NITDA has been actively supporting the growth of Nigeria’s agricultural sector. One key initiative is the National Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture (NAVSA) which has engaged 965 farmers in integrating technology into agriculture.”

“Our Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan, 2024 – 2027 (SRAP 2.0) also highlights our focus on promoting technology in agriculture to boost food security, increase the sector’s GDP contribution, drive economic diversification, and create jobs, aligning with the priorities of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” he added.

Citing a good use case of digitised agricultural sector, Inuwa disclosed that according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), agriculture contributes 33 per cent to Kenya’s GDP. He divulged that JICA, through its Small Horticulture Empowerment & Promotion (SHEP) Approach, doubled the income of 2,500 small-scale farmers between 2007 and 2009 alone.

During his presentation, Co-founder/CEO AGROVESTO Bayo Adewoye said that 63.5 per cent of these farmers earn between 20,000 and 100,000 naira monthly during the sales season while 63 per cent take their products to the open market to sell.

He added that the project has been designed to address these challenges, and the expected outcomes include; improved farmer income by connecting farmers to wider markets through digital tools and increasing their bargaining power and sales, boosting their incomes.

Furthermore, efficient Supply Chains by digitising agricultural value chains can reduce post-harvest losses and improve the flow of goods, benefiting farmers and markets.

He said the initiative enhances digital literacy, empowers farmers with digital skills to enable them leverage technology to access information and expand their market reach.

He further explained that the next step is to rollout digitisation of access to the market which entails the design and integration of a tailored digital platform for market access. And the onboarding of cooperatives and SHEP graduates to the platform. Then monitoring and evaluation activities which includes review meetings with JICA and ONDI, webinar and knowledge sharing.

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Nigeria’s digital journey is accelerating; at the forefront of this unprecedented growth is the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and one of its key strengths lies in its collaborative approach. Through collaboration with tech hubs, educational institutions, and industry stakeholders, NITDA is laying the groundwork for a thriving digital economy.

NITDA’s partnerships span across various sectors, and this multifaceted approach ensures a comprehensive strategy for digital literacy and innovation. Among the critical areas of focus are training programmes in artificial intelligence (AI), coding, cybersecurity, and basic digital literacy. These initiatives are not just about imparting knowledge; they are about equipping Nigerians with the skills necessary to thrive in a digital economy.

These programmes directly address the need for a digitally literate workforce, in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. To equip Nigerians with the skills for the digital age, NITDA aims to achieve a remarkable target of 70% digital literacy by the year 2027.

Through its collaborative training programmes, NITDA is birthing a new generation of highly talented Nigerians. Tech hubs across the country are buzzing with activity, where participants are immersed in learning experiences that cover the latest advancements in technology. Educational institutions are also critical in this endeavour. For this reason, NITDA is working with Federal Ministry of Education to integrate these programmes into their curricula to produce graduates that are ready to meet the demands of the digital age.

Beyond education and training, NITDA’s role includes the co-creation of policies that create a conducive environment for tech startups and established companies alike. By setting standards and regulations, NITDA ensures that innovation can flourish while maintaining the integrity and security of the digital infrastructure.

One notable example is NITDA’s involvement in developing guidelines for AI and data protection, which are crucial as the world increasingly relies on data-driven decision-making. These regulations not only protect users but also provide a clear framework for companies to innovate confidently.

This focus on collaboration extends beyond domestic partnerships. NITDA actively seeks partnerships with international stakeholders. A recent example is the collaboration with the U.S. Consulate General, Lagos, to host the Global Tech Africa Summit. The event brought together African and international players in the tech space, fostering knowledge exchange and creating opportunities for cross-border collaboration.

The Agency has recognised the transformative power of skill-based trainings, this prompted it to recently deepen its strategic partnership with Cisco to harness these technologies for Nigeria’s development. This collaboration is not just a step forward; it is a leap toward a future where technology drives sustainable growth and innovation across multiple sectors.

This partnership in practical sense, has several ambitious initiatives designed to showcase the capabilities of emerging technologies. Pilot projects are being rolled out to demonstrate the practical applications of these technologies in real-world settings.

In another circumstance, NITDA partnered TikTok to address some of the most pressing issues in the digital age. The partnership focuses on ensuring the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), promoting digital literacy, and creating a positive and secure online space for users.

The importance of this collaboration cannot be overemphasised, especially now that social media becomes increasingly integral to everyday life – the potential for both positive engagement and negative consequences grows. NITDA aims to leverage TikTok platform’s extensive reach and technological prowess to implement robust measures that safeguard users, particularly the younger demographic, who are the most active on social media.

NITDA recently collaborated with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH, known as the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and Digital Transformation Center (GIZ/DTC) to host a stakeholder awareness event focused on the National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF) in Lagos.

This initiative aims to address the digital divide and equip Nigerians with critical digital skills, underscoring its ongoing commitment to fostering digital inclusion across the nation.

Collaboration with GIZ focuses on bridging the digital divide and empowering Nigerians with essential digital skills. A recent example is their joint effort on developing robust standards for digital literacy content to ensure high-quality learning materials are aligned with Nigeria’s National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF).

These are just a few examples of NITDA’s ongoing efforts to foster collaboration within the tech ecosystem. The Agency actively seeks partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders, including High Tech, Telecommunication and Tech-enabled companies, Tech startups, Development Agencies, etc.

NITDA’s commitment to fostering innovation is evident in its establishment of special purpose vehicles (SPVs) like the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI) and the National Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR). These SPVs act as catalysts for collaboration within the tech ecosystem, allowing for the implementation of initiatives like the Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support (TIES) Scheme and the iHatch Startup Incubation Programme.

In one of his public outings, the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, stated that “Collaborating with stakeholders is fundamental to our mission. By working together, we can create an ecosystem that supports innovation and sustainable growth, ensuring that Nigeria is not just a consumer of technology but a key player in the global tech arena.”

“The goal is to create a sustainable digital ecosystem where everyone has the opportunity to participate and benefit. Our partnerships are crucial in bridging the skills gap and ensuring that Nigeria’s digital economy is inclusive and resilient”, Inuwa explained.

As Nigeria stands on the cusp of a digital revolution, NITDA’s partnerships serve as a beacon of what is possible when government, industry, and academia come together with a shared vision. The journey to 70% digital literacy by 2027 is ambitious, but with the continued support and collaboration of all stakeholders, it is a goal well within reach. Through these efforts, Nigeria is not just preparing for the future; it is shaping it.

Mubarak writes from Abuja

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As part of the current administration of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment towards creating meaningful opportunities for Nigerian youths, the Director General Of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa CCIE has called on the government of Japan to leverage on the youthful population through strategic talent partnership that will nurture and build a workforce that can be exported.

The DG made the call at the ihatch startup incubation programme 2nd cohort demo day and 3rd cohort opening ceremony organised by the subsidiary of the agency, Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), in partnership with Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) in Abuja.

Inuwa noted that the ihatch 5-month free intensive incubation programme executed by the ONDI and hosted within the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) is designed to help Nigerian tech entrepreneurs refine their business ideas through a series of coaching, lectures, and booth camps to develop scalable and adaptable business models that will focus on youth, innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology.

He added that the incubation programme will be held simultaneously in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Gombe, and Kano and JICA has agreed to extend the Fourth Cohort across each of the 36 States and the FCT. This is to enable wider reach and to stimulate the startup ecosystems across the States.

The DG stated that not fewer than 1,218 applications were received for the Second Cohort and the number was pruned down to 8 startups, comprising 16 persons, a Founder and Co-Founder for each startup, after undergoing levels of rigorous selection process conducted by a panel of judges, comprising experts in diverse areas of technology and innovative entrepreneurship.

He explained that the selection process assessed the startups’ ideas based on the criteria of profitability, scalability, social impact, idea technique, competitive advantage, experience, and a clearly defined future roadmap.Inuwa further revealed that a total of 11,183 applications were received from across the 6 geopolitical zones for the Third Cohort.

This culminated in the selection of the top 8 startups, comprising 16 founders in total that will participate in the Third Cohort that was launched.

He added that 16 startups that participated in the first and second cohorts of the iHatch incubation programme have moved on to achieve remarkable success in the areas of job creation, funding, participation in events, and valuable partnerships which have created a combined total of 179 direct jobs in the span of agriculture, health, education, and e-commerce sectors.

The DG further asserted that apart from the total grant of US$45,000 (US$15,000 each) for Proof of Concept (POC) to the top 3 startups in the first cohort, some of the startups have raised some funding through other sources. Xolani Health (a health tech startup from the first cohort) secured a grant worth US$155,000, BetaLife (a health tech startup from the first cohort) secured an angel investment of US$60,000, Gifty (an e-commerce startup from the second cohort) got a grant of USD$8,000 while two other startups from the first and second cohorts respectively, raised a combined total grant of US$6,000.

Inuwa affirmed the agency’s commitment to working with relevant stakeholders and partners towards the successful implementation of the Nigeria Startup Act (NSA) which will accelerate innovation and provide much-needed jobs for our teeming youths. Leaving nothing to chance in our resolve to nurture the entrepreneurial spirit in our youth to catalyze the Nigerian digital economy to the next level.

The Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite, represented by National Coordinator, National Talent Export Programme, Dr Femi Adeluyi, applauded NITDA for the various initiatives and programs put in place for the advancement of the tech ecosystem in the country.

Anite noted that the NITDA DG at the Digital Nigeria International Conference 2023 edition harped on the need for Nigeria to become the talent destination of the world where countries will come to seek a workforce that will work with them towards achieving their goals and objectives.

She added that “technology is a pivotal tool in all aspects of life which cannot be overemphasized and the green transition scoreboard global total has reached about $7.13 trillion for export and about $6.6 trillion for importation, the important aspect is that 54% of these activities is digitally edible and prepares people to be effective and efficient in the different sector of the economy is laudable”.

The Minister also appreciated JICA for its relentless efforts toward the advancement of the tech ecosystem in the area of automobile, development, training, scholarships, interventions and a lot more which has impacted the citizens directly or indirectly.

The Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, Matsunaga Kazuyoshi, represented by Yuzurio Susumu Chief of Nigeria Office in his remarks stated that Nigeria is the most popular country in Africa and the heart hub of entrepreneurship activities aimed towards the advancement of the country.

He added, “With all the challenges faced by insecurity, and limited infrastructures in the country, Nigerian startups are demonstrating remarkable creativity and resilience in developing solutions that other critical social issues in areas such as education, transportation, healthcare and finance”.

He added that the present administration has identified the transformation potential of startups and digitization making it a key factor in diversifying the Nigerian economy from its dependence on oil.

The Ambassador pointed out that startups are seen as a catalyst for business transformation, bringing fresh ideas,  innovative technologies and new employment opportunities. Japan has the longest history of technological innovation and entrepreneurship has a significant role in supporting the Nigerian system.

Among those who attended were representatives from both the private and public and the top three (3) startups emerged with cash prices to Fundus AI 1st position $15,000.00, Reno 2nd position with $12,000.00 and Ilim Tutors 3rd position $10,000.00 respectively.

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TECHDIGEST – As part of efforts toward sustaining the promotion and growth of digital innovation and entrepreneurship derived from the seven (7) pillars of its Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP) 2021-2024, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) through Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), a subsidiary of the Agency, in partnership with Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) held Idea Hatch (iHatch) 1st Cohort Demo Day with a commitment to work with relevant stakeholders and partners in implementing programmes and initiatives that will accelerate innovation and provide the much-needed jobs for Nigerian youths.

The Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, represented by National Director of the National Centre for Artificial intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), Engr. Ya’u Garba, lauded the Startup Incubation Programme which he described as a vibrant demonstration of the importance of collaboration for the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship in Nigeria’s digital economy.

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He said, “The partnership with JICA in the implementation of the iHatch programme is part of our initiatives to strengthen the tech and innovation ecosystem for the creation of more IDEs that will invariably contribute to creation of jobs for our teeming youth and the prosperity of our country”.

Inuwa expressed the hope that the programme would go a long way in nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit of young innovative Nigerians to catalyze the Nigerian digital economy to the next level.

“This is to increase the number of Innovation-Driven Enterprises (IDES) viz a viz sustaining the growth of Nigeria’s digital economy.”, the DG asserted.

Inuwa, who gave a comprehensive overview of the different processes during the incubation period noted that over five thousand (5,000+) entries were received in the countdown to present moment.

“The number was pruned down to 8 startups, comprising a Founder and Co-Founder for each startup, after undergoing two levels of rigorous selection process conducted by a panel of 10 judges, constituted of experts from diverse areas of technology and innovative entrepreneurship.”

“The selection process assessed the startups’ ideas based on the criteria of profitability, scalability, social impact, idea technique, competitive advantage, experience, and a clearly defined future roadmap”, he added.

According to Inuwa, in the course of the programme, the startups benefited from free virtual and physical interactive lectures with experienced mentors, free workspace, mentorship meetings with tech professionals, pitch deck enhancement, and networking opportunities, and four startups that were initially not legally registered, successfully registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) while work is in progress on the prototyping and Intellectual Property (IP) registration of their business ideas.

Inuwa maintained that the Demo Day also marks the inauguration of the Second Cohort of the iHatch Incubation Programme.

While appreciating the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), for facilitating the partnership between the Japanese and Nigerian governments and for making the iHatch programme a reality, Inuwa also appreciated the Japanese Government, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), for keeping faith in the highly impactful partnership.

“Flowing from this partnership, NITDA and JICA conceptualised and designed the iHatch, a 5-month free intensive incubation programme executed by the ONDI and hosted within the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR).”

“Essentially, the programme is designed to help Nigerian entrepreneurs refine their business ideas through a series of coaching, lectures, and bootcamps to generate scalable and adaptable business models in the country”, he noted.

Referencing Statistic where Nigeria is reported to have an estimated 3,300 startups in 2020, which is highest on the African continent; the NITDA Boss stressed that Nigerian startups have continued to attract more investment than other countries on the continent, with a number of the startups raising about USD$600 million in the first quarter (Q1) of 2022.

“The top ten startups that attracted the funding are Flutterwave ($250 million); Moove ($105 million); ThriveAgric ($56.4 million); Reliance Health ($40 million); Bamboo ($15 million); Credpal ($15 million); SeamlessHR ($10 million); DrugStoc ($4.4 million); Casava ($4 million) and Sudo Africa ($3.7 million). These clearly indicates the vast potentials that abound within Nigeria’s tech and innovation ecosystem”, Inuwa averred.

Meanwhile other speakers including the Chief Representative, JICA Nigeria, Susumu Yakzorio and the AG. National Coordinator, ONDI, Yakubu Musa were optimistic that the programme will inspire Nigerians to become active players in the global innovation-driven market.

Highpoints of the event witnessed eight innovators including e-dokta, SolutionMed, Authentic QRTech, EveryFarmer, XTID Network, Afrinet Powertech, Beta life, and Xolani Health who took turns to pitch their solutions with Xolani Health, Evlvery Farmer and Betalife clinching the first, second and third positions respectively.

The winers were awarded the sum of $15,000 each, courtesy of JiCA.

The Demo Day also signaled the end of the first cohort and inauguration of the Second Cohort of the iHatch Startup Incubation Programme; with the key players hoping that the third cohort would be extended across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

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TECHDIGEST – The Director General, National information technology Development agency (NITDA) Kashifu Inuwa CCIE has reiterated the Agency’s commitment towards supporting young Nigerian innovators, according to him, the nation’s apex IT regulator will continue to maintain itself as the champion of innovation in the country.

Inuwa made the commitment during the opening ceremony of APP-LAB Fellowship Programme in collaboration with Young Innovators of Nigeria in Abuja.

Represented by Dr Salihu Abdulkareem noted that the APP-LAB Young Innovators Fellowship Program which seeks to identify, mentor and train young Nigerians for free in Emerging Technology skills and match them with industry practitioners, will surely create a platform for creating jobs in IT the Sector.

He added that the fellowship concept, if implemented properly, will produce team of developers who will become Technology Entrepreneurs for themselves and other companies in the nearest future.

“NITDA believes that our youth must be trained and given the prerequisite skills in order to participate in the knowledge economy and create wealth for themselves and the country at large,” he said.

Inuwa maintains that government cannot do it alone, and it is encouraging to see organization coming up with initiatives that help the country in bridging the digital gap.
He added that NITDA has been playing a key role in creating various initiative and programmes that support innovation driven Startups ideas.

“At NITDA, we believe innovation and entrepreneurship has become a strong catalytic force for economic growth, wealth creation, and sustainable development. We are supporting Start-ups ecosystem in Nigeria for inclusive development, the DG emphasized.

While Highlighting the NITDA iniatives, Inuwa said the Agency initiated startup voucher programme to support viable business idea for incubation in any technology hubs of their choices across Nigeria. In 2022 the Agency also launched iHatch Programme, which was designed to refine the business model of Nigerian entrepreneurs through a series of mentoring, lectures and bootcamps, and enable the creation of viable and scalable business models, hence, the creation of innovation-driven enterprise (IDEs).

The overall goal of iHatch is to establish companies, which are legally Incorporated under (CAC) by young Nigerians, produce minimum viable product (MVP) of their innovative ideas, establish connection between start-ups and investors, enable NITDA to analyze the startup ecosystem and take necessary actions to improve the ecosystem through government actions and incentives.

While taking turned to appreciate the NITDA support and support, convener of the APP-LAP and Young Innovators of Nigeria, Mr Andrew Abu, shared the challenges being faced by the young innovators.

He said one of their challenges is funding talent, nevertheless, he remains confident that at the end of the programme, fellows will come up with various futuristic solutions that will make impact in Nigeria’s quest to be one biggest digital economy nations.

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TECHDIGEST – Unemployment remains one of the perennial problems confronting all developed and developing economies.

However, this is relatively lower in developed countries compared to the developing ones where significant proportions of their populations are either unemployed or underemployed.

The current global health crisis exacerbated the situation resulting in massive job losses following the lockdown that battered the global economy to the ground.

Gradually countries are on the pathway to a steady recovery from the effect of the pandemic by prioritizing and focusing on creative and innovative entrepreneurship to revamp their economic fortune.

Creativity and innovation form the driving force behind advancement in all sectors of human endeavour. No country or business organization can achieve great success without creative and innovative ideas.

The transformative impact of creativity and innovation enables society to solve its problems, improve their lives and achieve progress. The unity of these twin concepts provides a conducive environment for nurturing sound economic, political, and social connections.

Creativity involves the ability to produce new and unique ideas while innovation focuses on the implementation of creativity. This leads to the continuous introduction of new ideas, solutions, products, and processes to better the lives of people.

By practicing creativity, we can change our life, our community, and the world around us for the better. But most importantly, we discover the capacity to move from being unemployed to becoming employers.

Entrepreneurs leverage creativity and innovation to evolve new ways of improving existing products and services for optimum benefits to the customer. It encourages people to think outside the box or search for solutions beyond the ordinary.

Nigeria represents one of those developing countries that has shown unwavering resolve to entrench sustainable digital entrepreneurship powered by creative and innovative ideas, across all sectors of the economy.

The country’s obligation to achieve that goal was reaffirmed when she joined the global community to celebrate the United Nations’ World Creativity and Innovation Day (WCID 2022) on 21st April 2022.

While speaking on the importance of creativity and innovation, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, noted that unemployment and employability problems in Nigeria would be solved by creating digital entrepreneurs that are employers and wealth creators.

Pantami pointed out that no country can grow economically without giving priority to digital innovation, as such the federal government is focused on collaborating with stakeholders, especially universities, to boost innovation and entrepreneurship in Nigeria’s digital economy.

The minister asserted that entrepreneurship remained the best approach to addressing the challenge of unemployment and employability adding, “The approach today is that when a student gets admitted into a higher institution, he would be directed to come up with his start-up within a year. He will be working on this till he graduates with his own company and becomes a potential employer”.

On his part, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa, the Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), gave assurance that the Agency has adopted strategic initiatives and frameworks to achieve its objective of creating digital entrepreneurs to power the digital economy.

For instance, the Bridge To Mass Challenge (B2MC) and iHATCH Challenge are two of the major initiatives of NITDA aimed at challenging innovative youths to come up with solutions to pressing local problems in the areas of security, agriculture, health, education, and fintech.

Kashifu explained that the WCID 2022 celebration also served as a platform for start-ups to showcase various solutions they had developed in collaboration with the agency, through its two subsidiaries, Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI) and the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), to solve problems in the economy and help Nigeria create and capture value from innovation.

Several other initiatives are being launched by the federal government and development partners to further advance the objective of creativity and digital entrepreneurship.

Recently, the federal government had flagged off the implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding between Nigeria and Huawei Technologies Nigeria as part of the initiatives being launched to further advance creativity and digital entrepreneurship in the country.

Two core ICT initiatives – the Huawei ICT Academy and the Huawei ICT Talent Cultivation projects – are to be established under the partnership for the development of 300 ICT academies in universities, polytechnics, and Colleges of Education in the country.

In addition, 10,000 university students are expected to be trained each year with a total of 30,000 students in three years, through various programmes, competitions, and other activities of the Huawei ICT Academy.

Ultimately, many university graduates would use their digital entrepreneurship skills to create products and services that solve problems, engender better lives and create opportunities for growth and sustainability.

Entrepreneurship generates wealth and creates employment which helps to reduce the menace of unemployment. Creative solutions and entrepreneurship open up job opportunities for citizens to earn income and enjoy an improved standard of living.

As such, Nigerian universities have to designate critical thinking as the core area of study in all courses/programmes. Sufficient facilities should be provided to create a conducive ambiance and applicable learning activities to help students develop the capacity for critical thinking and digital entrepreneurship.

NITDA, through ONDI and NCAIR, can engage with the National Universities Commission (NUC) and develop a new approach for empowering universities to prioritise digital entrepreneurship as a vital component in all academic programmes.

Inyene Ibanga
Corporate Communication Unit
Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI)

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TECHDIGEST – The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), through its subsidiary, the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, and in partnership with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is set to launch iHatch startup incubation programme.

The Agency’s Head of Corporate Affairs and External Relations, Mrs. Hadiza Umar said in a statement on Thursday, that the startup incubation programme is aimed at increasing the number of Innovation-Driven Enterprises (IDEs) by Nigerian youths.

iHatch is a 5-month free intensive incubation program designed to help Nigerian entrepreneurs perfect their business ideas through a series of coaching, lectures, and boot camps, to generate viable and scalable business models.

The statement said that the iHatch incubation programme with focus on youth, innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology will provide an excellent opportunity for startups that have innovative business ideas along with a prototype of their products or services.

Participating startups will receive free offline and online interactive training from experienced coaches and mentors from over the world, investment opportunities and free co-working space for the duration of the programme.

“iHatch seeks to establish a programme that will accelerate the process of taking ideas to impact, hence providing the much-needed jobs for our teeming youths, and also nurturing that entrepreneurial spirit in them, which will catalyses the Nigerian digital economy to the next level,” said Malam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the Director-General/CEO of NITDA.

The statement added that detail information about iHatch is available at NCAIR websitehttps://www.ncair.nitda.gov.ng

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