In Pictures: NITDA, Japan Seal $12.1 Million Deal for Abuja Start-up Hub
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has signed a JPY 1.6 billion (USD 12.1 million) grant agreement with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to establish a start-up hub in Abuja aimed at boosting Nigeria’s tech innovation ecosystem.
The signing ceremony, which took place at the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in Abuja, marks a new phase in Japan–Nigeria cooperation to foster digital entrepreneurship and youth-led innovation.
The project, set to span five years and eight months—from April 2025 to December 2030—will be implemented by NITDA in partnership with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA). According to NITDA, the hub is designed to empower young Nigerians to build scalable tech ventures that could compete globally and potentially become Africa’s next unicorns.
According to the statement, the initiative is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to drive economic transformation through technology, attract foreign investment, and create jobs in the digital economy.
Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Nigeria’s Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, signed on behalf of the federal government. Mr. Hitoshi Kozaki, Deputy Head of Mission, represented the Japanese government.
