At a time when conversations around Nigeria’s startup ecosystem often focused on funding and high-growth companies, an equally important effort had been underway, strengthening the systems that supported those startups.
That effort is iHatch.
The iHatch Startup Incubation Programme, implemented by the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI) under the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), is taking a different approach. Rather than focusing only on founders, the programme is investing in the innovation hubs that shape them.
iHatch is addressing a longstanding structural gap in Nigeria’s ecosystem, uneven access to quality incubation support across regions. By strengthening innovation hubs across all states, the programme aims to decentralise startup support beyond major cities, standardise incubation quality nationwide, and build a more coordinated national innovation ecosystem.
At the individual level, the impact is more practical.
Hubs are equipped with the operational structure, tools, and frameworks needed to run effective programmes. In turn, founders gain access to more consistent mentorship, training, and support, while local ecosystems become more active and better connected.
Over the past few months, iHatch Cohort 5 ran a nationwide campaign to identify innovation hubs across all 36 states and the FCT. The goal was to select capable local partners who can support founders within their communities and deliver structured incubation programmes at the state level.
That phase had concluded.
On Monday, April 20, 2026, the next stage began.
Selected Hub Managers from across the country arrived in Abuja for a week-long residency training programme, where they were equipped with the tools, frameworks, and operational structure required to run effective incubation programmes.
The residency, which ran through April 24, brought together hub leaders from different regions to learn, collaborate, and align on a shared national approach to startup support.
Day 1 of the programme focused on the fundamentals of running a hub, from operations and programme management to brand positioning and storytelling. These sessions were designed to move hubs beyond informal support systems into more structured, outcome-driven institutions.
Beyond the in-person training, the programme will continue with a two-month virtual phase, ensuring that Hub Managers are fully prepared before startup recruitment begins.
The broader idea is simple: strong startups are built within strong ecosystems.
By investing in the capacity of innovation hubs, iHatch is working to ensure that founders regardless of location, can access the guidance, mentorship, and structured support they need to grow.
As the programme progresses, attention will gradually shift to startup recruitment, where the real impact of this groundwork will begin to show.
For now, the focus is clear: build the people and institutions that will support the next generation of Nigerian founders.
Here are the hubs, their location and the manager
0 comments:
Post a Comment