Nigeria’s technology regulator, National Information Technology Development Agency, through its subsidiary Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation, has partnered with Japan International Cooperation Agency to open applications for the fifth cohort of the iHatch Startup Incubation Programme aimed at strengthening innovation hubs across the country.
The programme is seeking 37 innovation hubs, one from each of Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, to serve as state level hub managers responsible for implementing incubation programmes in their respective locations. According to the National Coordinator of ONDI, Victoria Fabunmi, the initiative is designed to strengthen local innovation ecosystems by building the capacity of hubs rather than focusing only on recruiting startups.
Fabunmi noted that while Nigeria’s startup ecosystem has expanded significantly over the past decade, access to structured support remains uneven outside major technology clusters such as Lagos and Abuja. She explained that the iHatch programme adopts a systems based approach that focuses on strengthening incubation centres, standardising incubation quality and improving the investment readiness of startups across all regions.
Selected hubs will serve as implementation partners for at least one year, during which each hub will recruit and mentor about five startups within its state. The programme will guide participating startups through structured incubation designed to prepare them for growth, funding opportunities and broader market access.
Although the agency has not disclosed a specific financial grant for participating hubs, selected centres will receive operational support, resources and performance based rewards. NITDA said the initiative seeks to build strong ecosystem leaders capable of driving local innovation and expanding opportunities for founders across Nigeria. Applications for the fifth cohort close on March 16.