The Federal Government, through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), is working on a national framework aimed at standardising and strengthening Nigeria’s more than 339 innovation hubs.

The initiative is designed to improve the ability of the hubs to support startups, entrepreneurs and technology-driven businesses while promoting a more balanced distribution of innovation activities across the country.

NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, disclosed this at the National Innovation Hub Standards Framework Validation Workshop in Abuja.

According to him, the proposed framework is expected to strengthen innovation ecosystems nationwide and reduce the concentration of technology activities in Lagos, Abuja and a limited number of other states.

NITDA’s mapping exercise identified more than 339 innovation hubs across Nigeria. However, the agency found significant differences in their resources, capacity and levels of maturity.

Some hubs located outside the country’s established technology centres continue to operate primarily as training facilities and require further support to evolve into incubation, innovation and entrepreneurship centres.

The proposed National Innovation Hub Standards Framework is intended to provide hub operators with a structured system for evaluating their capabilities, identifying deficiencies and determining areas requiring improvement.

Inuwa said the framework would function as a guide and would not impose a uniform or rigid operating model on hub owners. Instead, individual hubs would be able to develop in line with the economic strengths, opportunities and specific needs of their communities.

“Innovation does not happen in isolation; it happens in an ecosystem. And that ecosystem does not happen by accident; it happens by design,” Inuwa said.

The draft framework consists of seven key dimensions and approximately 35 assessment categories covering the capabilities and maturity of innovation hubs.

Inuwa said the approach would help create conditions for young entrepreneurs to establish and expand businesses within their communities, reducing the need to move to Lagos or Abuja in search of technology infrastructure, mentorship and other support services.

He added that a more evenly distributed innovation ecosystem could enable states to develop technology solutions based on their individual economic strengths and local challenges.

The Federal Government is also pursuing increased private-sector participation in financing the country’s innovation ecosystem.

Inuwa noted that government could not sustainably provide the risk capital required by startups and emerging businesses. He identified talent, risk capital, large corporations and government as four key pillars required to establish a functional innovation ecosystem.

He also advocated stronger links between universities and industry, stressing that higher institutions should have a greater role in research, entrepreneurship, digital skills development and partnerships with businesses.

NITDA is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Education to strengthen the integration of digital skills into formal education and improve graduates’ preparedness for the digital economy.

The National Innovation Hub Standards Framework remains at the draft stage. NITDA is seeking input from innovation hub founders, investors, development partners, government agencies and academia before the document is finalised.

Stakeholders participating in the validation workshop reviewed the proposed standards, assessment process and potential challenges associated with implementation.

The initiative forms part of wider efforts to improve coordination across Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem. One such effort is the Nigeria Innovation Cluster Exchange (NICE), which was recently launched to link entrepreneurship support organisations, research institutions, startups and government agencies while reducing duplication among ecosystem initiatives.

For startups and small technology businesses, a stronger network of innovation hubs could provide improved access to mentorship, skills, infrastructure, funding networks and potential markets within their local communities.

The immediate challenge, however, will be translating the proposed framework into practical improvements, including better-equipped hubs, stronger access to capital and increased support for startups seeking to progress from early-stage ideas to scalable businesses.

Source: MSME Africa Online