Nigeria has received a $12.1 million grant from the Japanese government to establish a startup hub in Abuja, aiming to transform the capital into a vibrant center for technology and innovation. The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) announced the agreement on Thursday during a signing ceremony at the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in Abuja.
Funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the project will run from April 2025 to December 2030 and will be jointly managed by NITDA and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority. The initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, focusing on digital innovation, private sector investment, and job creation—potentially paving the way for Nigeria’s next wave of tech unicorns.
The agreement was signed by Nigeria’s Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, and JICA’s Deputy Head of Mission, Hitoshi Kozaki. This partnership builds on previous collaborations, such as the iHatch startup incubator program launched in 2023, which created over 117 direct and 370 indirect jobs. Plans are underway to expand the program nationwide, offering Nigerian startups structured incubation and leveraging JICA’s expertise to develop market-ready solutions.