The Federal Government of Nigeria reaffirmed its dedication to establishing the country as a leader in technology innovation and entrepreneurship during the closing ceremony of the iHATCH startup incubation program’s third cohort. The event took place in Abuja, where the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Inuwa Abdulkadir, highlighted the program’s successes and future goals.
The iHATCH initiative, a collaboration between NITDA and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), aims to nurture a dynamic tech ecosystem in Nigeria. This partnership aligns with NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0), focusing on fostering strategic collaborations and nurturing innovative ecosystems.
Inuwa Abdulkadir commended the program for its role in supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s focus on industrialization, digitization, and innovation. “The iHATCH program is instrumental in creating a thriving ecosystem for startups and empowering Nigeria’s next generation of tech innovators,” he said.
The third cohort of the program saw an expansion to five locations—Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano, and Gombe—following the success of the previous cohorts. Inuwa reported that the first two cohorts had trained 16 startups and 32 participants, who collectively generated 179 direct jobs and over 1,000 indirect jobs.
The iHATCH program, launched in 2022, addresses social issues through innovative solutions, aiming to generate employment and stimulate economic growth. The initiative supports young entrepreneurs by pairing them with co-founders, guiding them through incubation, and teaching essential business skills.
Inuwa encouraged participants to build mentoring platforms and urged JICA to consider extending the program to all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. He also noted that NITDA views the initiative as a gateway to enhancing local projects and exploring talent exchange opportunities with Japan.
Japan’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Matsunaga Kazuyoshi, underscored Japan’s commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and sustainable development in Nigeria. He highlighted the program’s role in creating strong collaborations between Nigerian and Japanese companies and praised the achievements of the 10 standout ventures presented at the ceremony.
Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT, thanked the Japanese government for their support and applauded the participants for their innovative contributions to societal development.
One of the winners, Mr. Abubakar Umar, founder of Northinho, expressed gratitude for the intensive training and the cash prize awarded. He encouraged fellow entrepreneurs to stay persistent and believe in their evolving ideas.
The event concluded with awards for the top startups: Northinho received $15,000, Dorpals Technologies secured $12,000, and Connected earned $10,000.
