Nigerian First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu has reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to youth empowerment and digital inclusion as she performed the foundation-laying ceremony for a new Renewed Hope Startup Hub in Wuye, Abuja.
The innovation centre is being developed through a partnership between Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Government of Japan, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Oluremi described the project as a major step towards advancing technology, supporting entrepreneurship and creating sustainable opportunities for young Nigerians.
She said the establishment of startup hubs nationwide aligns with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises skills development, entrepreneurship and job creation.
“To our young innovators, this Start-Up Hub is yours,” she said. “You can arrive here with a sketch and leave with a working prototype that takes you into the global market space.”
The First Lady praised Japan for providing a strategic grant to support the project, saying the partnership reflected confidence in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem and youthful population.
NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi said the agency’s partnership with JICA, which began in 2021, had focused on strengthening Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem through capacity building, knowledge transfer, infrastructure development and international collaboration.
According to him, the hub will support startup development, industry engagement and coordination across the innovation ecosystem. It is also expected to provide entrepreneurs with access to technical expertise, mentorship, infrastructure and international partnerships.
Abdullahi put the estimated investment in the facility at approximately $10.4 million, depending on the exchange rate, adding that it formed part of a broader Japan–Nigeria initiative to support startups.
Japan’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Suzuki Hideo, said Japan was committed to expanding cooperation with Nigeria, particularly in education and technology, amid what he described as an improving economic environment.
