Nigeria is positioning itself as a continental leader in digital innovation by deepening global collaborations to strengthen its startup ecosystem. A flagship example is the partnership between the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which is accelerating the growth of early-stage companies through the iHatch incubation programme.
The initiative provides mentorship, training, and seed funding to promising entrepreneurs. Among its early beneficiaries is AGROVESTO, an agritech venture digitising supply chains for smallholder farmers — an industry critical to Nigeria’s food security and rural development.
Kashifu Inuwa, Director-General of NITDA, noted that these collaborations are enabling entrepreneurs to turn local challenges into scalable solutions. He highlighted Nigeria’s thriving fintech sector, with more than 200 startups including Paystack, Flutterwave, and Paga redefining financial services and extending access to millions across Africa.
The government’s broader reform agenda, anchored by the Nigeria Startup Act, complements such partnerships by offering tax incentives, streamlined registration, and regulatory sandboxes to reduce barriers for innovators and attract investment.
For Japan, the engagement represents a strategic pivot toward Nigeria’s digital economy. JICA’s Country Representative, Ishigame Kenji, urged AGROVESTO to expand its reach to more farmers, reflecting Tokyo’s particular interest in agritech as part of its wider development objectives.
With nearly half of its population under 18, Nigeria is experiencing rapid entrepreneurial momentum despite economic headwinds such as inflation and currency volatility. Officials believe that by aligning policy reforms with international partnerships, the country can sustain startup growth and cement its role as Africa’s innovation hub.
