Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced the nationwide expansion of its Hub Managers Training Programme, a strategic initiative aimed at harnessing technological and digital innovation to improve livelihoods, create jobs, and drive economic diversification across Nigeria.
NITDA’s Director General, Kashifu Inuwa, emphasized that the initiative aligns with the presidential priority of economic reform through industrialization and digitization. He made this known during the iHatch Cohort 4 Onsite Training for Hub Managers held in Abuja, in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI).
According to Hajiya Hadiza Umar, NITDA’s Director of Corporate Communications and Media, the training programme hosted 37 hub managers from all 36 states and the FCT. It aims to strengthen incubation systems, foster regional innovation ecosystems, and enhance mentorship capacities. Additionally, participants will gain access to international exchange programmes to adopt global best practices.
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Inuwa stressed the importance of decentralizing tech innovation, ensuring that it reaches the grassroots to solve real-life challenges in sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and small-scale trade.
“We don’t want technological innovation to be concentrated only in Lagos and Abuja. We want to take it to the grassroots and use it to solve real-life problems. That is why we designed the iHatch initiative,” Inuwa stated.
The DG highlighted the success of the pilot phase in Abuja, where 50 startups were trained, leading to 179 direct jobs and over 1,500 indirect jobs. With the programme’s expansion nationwide, 740 direct jobs and 7,400 indirect jobs are expected to be created before the end of the year.
“This initiative will domesticate innovation in states and enable startups to solve real-life problems in agriculture, healthcare, transportation, and other key sectors,” Inuwa added.
Inuwa underscored the need for collaboration, networking, and ecosystem development to sustain the initiative.
“To sustain this initiative, we must build a strong community where startups, entrepreneurs, and stakeholders can continuously share ideas and collaborate. We don’t want startups to just pass through the programme; we want them to remain within the iHatch ecosystem,” he explained.
The initiative also aligns with the Nigeria Startup Act, which provides legal backing and incentives for startups. Inuwa urged participants to champion the Act in their states, encouraging more startups to register and benefit from its provisions.
Driving Nigeria’s Digital Future
The NITDA boss reiterated the agency’s commitment to ensuring nationwide digital literacy and leveraging technology for inclusive economic growth.
“In line with the president’s mandate, our ultimate goal is to see every Nigerian digitally literate, using technology to access government and private sector services. We also want our market women to leverage technology to expand their businesses,” he added.
As the iHatch initiative expands, NITDA remains committed to empowering local talents, fostering innovation, and driving Nigeria’s digital transformation, one startup at a time.
