News Highlights:
- NITDA is deepening global partnerships to drive innovation and expand startup support across Nigeria.
- A potential collaboration with SGgrow and JICA aims to boost investment and connect Nigerian startups to global markets.
As Nigeria’s digital economy continues to expand, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is strengthening its push for international collaborations to accelerate innovation and support inclusive growth.
This drive was at the heart of a recent high-level meeting at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja with Mr. Hiro Mashita, founder of SGgrow—an investment firm focused on identifying and supporting promising Nigerian startups and linking them to global opportunities.
Mr. Oladejo Olawumi, Director of the Information Technology Infrastructure Solutions Department, represented NITDA’s Director General, Kashifu Inuwa, who joined the meeting virtually from the United States, where he is holding follow-up discussions with Google on investing in Nigeria’s digital sovereign infrastructure.
In his remarks, Inuwa reaffirmed NITDA’s commitment to nurturing a robust innovation ecosystem through global partnerships, spotlighting the agency’s ongoing collaboration with the Japanese government via the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which has yielded impactful programs such as iHatch—a six-month startup incubation initiative.
“The pilot created over 117 direct jobs and more than 370 indirect jobs. We’re now working to expand this initiative to all 36 states and the FCT. The initiative provides Nigerian startups with six months of incubation, leveraging JICA’s expertise and resources to develop market-ready products,” he revealed.
He also disclosed an upcoming signing ceremony for a major innovation project in Abuja supported by JICA and referenced NITDA’s partnership with the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) to establish a dedicated tech innovation fund.
Recognizing strong alignment between SGgrow’s mission and NITDA’s vision, Inuwa praised Mashita’s presentation: “Your goals align perfectly with our mandate. We believe in leveraging technology to drive prosperity and inclusion across all sectors.”
He added that NITDA is actively curating a database of verified, compliant startups to enhance transparency and prepare them for investment opportunities and potential government support—including matching funds. These efforts complement ongoing work with global tech players like Google on building sovereign digital infrastructure.
Inuwa expressed interest in exploring a collaborative framework with SGgrow, potentially tied to NITDA’s existing engagement with JICA. “We can explore how to build a cooperative model—perhaps even involving JICA—for stronger engagement from Japanese investors and startups. For me, it’s about collaboration, not competition,” he stated.
Mr. Mashita echoed these sentiments, outlining SGgrow’s long-term commitment to supporting Nigerian startups and serving as a bridge between the Nigerian and Japanese innovation ecosystems.
He proposed joint initiatives, deeper support structures for local startups, and potential exploration of capital market opportunities within the ecosystem, and also stressed the critical role of intergovernmental collaboration in creating a stable, investor-friendly environment.
This strategic engagement further reinforces NITDA’s dedication to forging global alliances that bring expertise, capital, and visibility to Nigeria’s digital economy—advancing its mission to build a thriving, inclusive, and innovation-driven nation.