The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, on Thursday said the expansion of the iHatch Startup Incubation Programme across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory has become a major driver of Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem, enabling young founders to emerge from communities that were previously overlooked.
Speaking at the iHatch National Demo Day in Abuja, Abdullahi, represented by the National Coordinator, Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), Victoria Fabunmi, described the event as a “significant milestone” for the country’s digital economy, noting that the programme has grown from a pilot initiative in Abuja to a nationwide platform nurturing talent at the grassroots.
“This occasion reflects our progress as an organisation and the collective effort of a nation determined to nurture innovation, empower youth and build the future of our digital economy,” he said.
The NITDA boss expressed appreciation to the programme’s partners and stakeholders who have supported the initiative over the last four cohorts. He offered special recognition to the Government of Japan, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), for what he described as “tireless support” since the programme’s inception.
He also commended hub managers and mentors across the country whose dedication, he said, has been essential to the success of the initiative. “The success of the iHatch programme is inseparable from your commitment,” he added.
Reflecting on the programme’s evolution, Abdullahi said NITDA quickly realised the need to take the initiative beyond Abuja and embed it within states and communities where creativity is abundant but often untapped. This led to the expansion of iHatch across the country, allowing founders to compete at state, regional and now national levels.
“This expansion is deliberate,” he said. “It ensures that innovation is not just concentrated in singular cities or regions, but across the nation.”
The DG noted that the emergence of founders at the national stage demonstrates the power of decentralised innovation and the importance of giving equal opportunities to young Nigerians regardless of their background or location.
The iHatch National Demo Day marks the culmination of rigorous months of training, mentorship and competition under the NITDA–JICA partnership, showcasing Nigeria’s next generation of innovators poised to drive economic transformation.
