The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is taking its iHatch startup incubation program nationwide, aiming to drive job creation, economic diversification, and digital innovation across all 36 states and the FCT.
At the iHatch Cohort 4 Onsite Training for Hub Managers in Abuja, NITDA’s Director General, Kashifu Inuwa, announced the expansion, emphasizing the need to localize innovation and bring technology-driven solutions beyond Lagos and Abuja.
“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.
*A Nationwide Impact*
The pilot phase of iHatch in Abuja trained 50 startups, leading to:
• 179 direct jobs created
• 1,500+ indirect jobs generated
Now, with its expansion across the country, the initiative aims to create:
740 direct jobs
7,400 indirect jobs by the end of the year.
*What’s Changing?*
Through its collaboration with JICA and ONDI, NITDA is equipping 37 hub managers across all states to:
Build strong incubation systems for local startups.
Develop regional innovation hubs through partnerships.
Provide mentorship and global exchange opportunities.
Solve state-specific challenges in agriculture, healthcare, transportation, and more.
*Beyond Training: A Thriving Ecosystem*
Innovation flourishes in clusters, and Inuwa stressed the need for continuous collaboration between startups, entrepreneurs, and ecosystem players to sustain the initiative.
“We don’t want startups to just pass through the program; we want them to remain within the iHatch ecosystem. Our goal is to take this initiative to all 774 local governments in Nigeria,” he explained.
*A Future Built on Digital Inclusion*
Beyond job creation, iHatch aligns with the Nigeria Startup Act, ensuring legal backing and incentives for startups.
Inuwa encouraged participants to champion digital literacy and tech adoption in their states.
“We want every Nigerian digitally literate, using technology to access services and grow businesses. Even market women should leverage technology to scale,” he added.
With iHatch expanding nationwide, NITDA is empowering Nigeria’s digital economy one innovation at a time, proving that local ideas can drive national transformation.
