NITDA Targets N3bn Investment in Nigerian Startups, Unveils Digital Nigeria Builders Festival
NITDA Targets N3bn Investment in Nigerian Startups, Unveils Digital Nigeria Builders Festival
By Matthew Eloyi
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has unveiled plans to unlock a N3 billion investment pipeline for Nigerian technology startups through a new initiative designed to connect local innovators with government institutions, businesses and investors.
The initiative, known as the Builders Festival, is a major component of the Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibition 2026, which seeks to transform discussions on Nigeria’s digital economy into tangible investments, commercial agreements, jobs and improved public services.
The Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, represented by the agency’s Director of Special Duties, Dr Aristotle Onumo, disclosed this in his remarks at the conference on Tuesday.
He said the Builders Festival marked a departure from the traditional approach to technology conferences by prioritising practical solutions to real institutional and business challenges rather than merely providing platforms for discussions.
According to him, the agency identified more than 100 verified operational challenges across sectors, including financial technology, healthcare, education, logistics, digital identity, agriculture, telecommunications infrastructure and artificial intelligence.
He explained that the challenges were subsequently matched with pre-qualified Nigerian startups with existing, deployable solutions.
“Over these three days, those matched parties will sit together in their rooms at the Executive Hall over there, and invite every one of us to take advantage and to have a look at what these young Nigerians who are providing solutions to our problems. There will be signing of MOUs.
“And our target is to unlock a pipeline investment of 3 billion Naira. And I believe it is possible,” he said.
Inuwa noted that Nigerian startups had demonstrated their capacity to attract investments, raising close to $625 million in the first nine months of 2026, representing approximately 2.6 times the amount raised during the corresponding period of the previous year.
He, however, stressed that access to capital alone was insufficient to sustain the growth of startups, emphasising the need for government institutions and large corporations to become customers of indigenous technology companies.
“When a Nigerian ministry becomes the first client of a Nigerian startup, we do more than solving a problem. We build a company. We retain talent. And we keep value at home,” he said.
The NITDA boss said the conference was structured around four major pillars: the Builders Festival, the main conference, practical masterclasses and the Nigeria Digital Honours Award.
He explained that the main conference would bring together policymakers, regulators, technology innovators, global industry leaders and development partners to examine critical issues shaping Nigeria’s digital future.
These include building sovereign capacity in artificial intelligence, financing digital infrastructure for a $1 trillion economy, strengthening cybersecurity and data protection, and ensuring inclusive digital transformation.
Inuwa disclosed that Nigeria’s broadband penetration had increased from 48.8 per cent in August 2025 to 57.4 per cent in July 2026, while internet subscriptions had also expanded significantly.
He added that telecommunications and information services contributed more than N5.2 trillion to the country’s Gross Domestic Product in the second quarter of 2026, growing at more than twice the rate of the overall economy.
Despite the progress, he acknowledged that significant gaps remained in digital literacy, infrastructure and the development of technical talent.
He called for stronger collaboration among government, industry, academia and international development partners to address the challenges and accelerate the country’s digital transformation.
The third pillar, according to him, comprises three days of intensive masterclasses designed to equip participants with practical capabilities in product development, marketing, project management and technology building.
He said the sessions would focus on helping participants develop scalable solutions, improve market reach, strengthen project execution and build secure, globally competitive technology systems.
“The lesson is simple. Talent is everywhere in Nigeria but execution is the new competitive advantage,” he said.
On the Nigeria Digital Honours Award, Inuwa explained that the initiative was established to recognise individuals and organisations delivering measurable contributions to the country’s digital economy.
The awards will cover eight categories, including artificial intelligence innovation, startup of the year, digital infrastructure, digital government, technological leadership, digital inclusion and digital skills.
He emphasised that the awards would be based on evidence and independent evaluation rather than popularity.
The NITDA chief executive also highlighted the agency’s partnership with the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), noting that the collaboration was aimed at connecting technology innovation with the productive sectors of the economy.
In his remarks, NACCIMA National President, Engr. Jani Ibrahim, said Nigeria’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy by 2030 could not be achieved through conventional business practices without deliberate investment in technology, productivity and industrialisation.
He said the country’s nearly 40 million micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), which account for approximately 46 per cent of GDP and nearly 88 per cent of employment, must be central to the digital transformation agenda.
Ibrahim described the NITDA-NACCIMA partnership as an important link between technology developers and the commercial sector, stressing that Nigerian startups needed customers, purchase orders, pilot projects and contracts rather than relying exclusively on venture capital.
He outlined three priority areas of the partnership: business-to-business deal rooms and commercial offtake, a 10,000 AI Enterprise Accelerator, and digital trust.
According to him, the Builders Festival has identified more than 50 verified institutional challenges, while over 100 exhibitors are participating in the conference.
He said the deal rooms were expected to generate pilot projects, investment discussions, commercial offtake agreements, joint ventures and signed commitments.
On the AI Enterprise Accelerator, Ibrahim said NACCIMA would leverage its digital economy desk and digital transformation officers to support businesses in moving from artificial intelligence awareness to practical adoption.
He explained that the initiative would help manufacturers, farmers, distributors and other businesses deploy AI tools to improve productivity, forecast demand, predict equipment maintenance, interpret agricultural data and strengthen bookkeeping and marketing operations.
Ibrahim also disclosed that the 3 Million Technical Talent Programme had trained more than 160,000 fellows, with approximately 1.87 million Nigerians in the talent pipeline across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He said NACCIMA’s extensive chamber network would help connect trained technology professionals with businesses requiring digital transformation.
On digital trust, he emphasised the importance of cybersecurity, data protection and responsible digital practices in building confidence among investors, businesses and international partners.
He urged corporate organisations to open their doors to Nigerian startups, provide opportunities for them to solve operational challenges and patronise locally developed technology solutions.
The NACCIMA president also called on investors to support indigenous technology companies with patient capital, while urging startups to prioritise business sustainability, sound governance, intellectual property protection and cybersecurity.
He stressed that digital transformation must extend beyond major cities to include rural businesses, women-owned enterprises, young entrepreneurs, persons with disabilities and businesses across all regions of the country.
Ibrahim said the success of the conference should ultimately be measured by the number of pilot projects commissioned, startups funded, purchase orders issued, MSMEs upgraded, jobs created and domestic investments mobilised.
He further disclosed that more than 200 Chinese investors had expressed interest in investing in Nigeria following NACCIMA’s recent business forum in Guangzhou, China, identifying digital transformation as one of the major areas of interest.
He said the experience of Guangzhou demonstrated how technology-driven development could accelerate economic growth and industrial competitiveness.
Both NITDA and NACCIMA called for stronger government-private sector collaboration to connect Nigerian innovation with markets, investment opportunities and industrial development, stressing that the country’s digital future must be built on practical outcomes rather than conference declarations alone.
