FG Calls for Increased Investment in Local Innovation Hubs across Nigeria

By James Ishaku

The Federal Government has called for greater investment in technology hubs, innovation spaces, and ecosystem builders across Nigeria, identifying them as essential engines for cultivating talent, empowering entrepreneurs, and driving the nation’s digital economy.

Speaking in Abuja at the National Innovation Hub Standards Framework Validation Workshop, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, emphasised that Nigeria cannot achieve a diversified and prosperous economy without directly strengthening the support systems that nurture innovation.

Dr. Tijani noted that while high-profile tech startups often capture public attention, the underlying innovation hubs and grass-roots communities that make their success possible are frequently overlooked. He highlighted hub managers and physical co-working spaces as vital anchor points where young talent, creators, and entrepreneurs can collaborate, build networks, and turn original concepts into viable businesses.

Ultimately, the Minister stressed that investing in these foundational hubs provides the ideal environment for young Nigerians to craft local solutions to societal challenges while creating meaningful employment opportunities across the country.

The Minister, who drew from his previous experience managing a technology hub, said Nigeria’s growing technology ecosystem was partly driven by the emergence of spaces that provide entrepreneurs with access to knowledge, mentorship, networks and other forms of support.

He noted that the country’s increasing number of successful technology companies demonstrated the enormous potential of Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem, but warned that this potential could not be fully realised without stronger support structures for ecosystem builders.