NITDA secures $12.1 million from Japanese agency to build Abuja startup hub 

According to a statement from NITDA, the deal was sealed on Thursday as it formalised a strategic partnership with the Japanese agency.

It noted that the formal signing ceremony, which took place at the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in Abuja, marks a significant milestone in Japan–Nigeria bilateral relations and underscores both nations’ commitment to fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation.

NITDA said the startup hub project aligns closely with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at repositioning Nigeria as a digital economy leader in Africa.

The Abuja start-up hub is expected to serve as a cornerstone for Nigeria’s expanding tech ecosystem, supporting the country’s aspirations to become a regional powerhouse in digital technology and entrepreneurship.

Speaking earlier on the partnership between NITDA and JICA, the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, said one of the successes of the collaboration with JICA is the iHatch initiative, a co-designed idea incubation program.

“We have been collaborating with them on so many initiatives like iHatch. The pilot we did resulted in creating over 117 direct jobs and more than 370 indirect jobs, and now we are working together with them to expand it to all 36 states and the FCT.  

“The initiative provides Nigerian startups with six months of incubation, leveraging JICA’s expertise and resources to develop market-ready products,” he said.

The NITDA boss added that NITDA and JICA are actively working to bridge the Nigerian and Japanese tech ecosystems, facilitating networking opportunities and sponsoring Nigerian startups to participate in activities in Japan.

Last month, NITDA and JICA launched the “IgniteHer” Entrepreneurship Bootcamp in Abuja, a five-day intensive program designed to empower and uplift women entrepreneurs across the nation.