Key points
- UK-Nigeria Tech Hub and The Nest Innovation Technology Park launched the Nigeria Innovation Cluster Exchange (NICE).
- The initiative aims to connect innovation hubs, research institutions and entrepreneurship support organisations across Nigeria.
- Organisers said the programme seeks to reduce fragmentation, improve collaboration and strengthen startup survival.
- The pilot will operate across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones with support from the UK Government’s Digital Access Programme.
Main story
The UK-Nigeria Tech Hub and The Nest Innovation Technology Park have launched the Nigeria Innovation Cluster Exchange (NICE), a national initiative designed to improve collaboration among innovation hubs, research institutions and entrepreneurship support organisations across Nigeria.
The programme, funded by the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub through the UK Government’s Digital Access Programme and implemented by The Nest Innovation Technology Park, is intended to strengthen coordination within Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem and improve support for startups.
Speaking on the initiative, the Co-founder of The Nest Innovation Technology Park, Mr Oluwajoba Oloba, said the exchange would establish a coordinated network capable of addressing long-standing gaps in collaboration among innovation support organisations.
He said that although Nigeria’s startup ecosystem had expanded significantly in sectors such as financial technology, agricultural technology, cybersecurity and health technology, many organisations supporting innovation still operated independently, resulting in duplicated efforts and weaker long-term outcomes for startups.
According to him, NICE will create a data-driven national network that encourages knowledge sharing, collaboration and coordinated support for entrepreneurs.
“Today, we are moving from celebrating isolated pockets of brilliance to engineering a collective national engine for growth,” Oloba said.
He added that the initiative was designed to unify entrepreneurship support organisations and startups into a more connected innovation ecosystem capable of delivering stronger economic impact.
“We are not just launching a programme; we are activating the connective tissue Nigeria’s economy has long demanded,” he said.
Oloba explained that the initiative was developed from lessons gathered during the 2025 UK Digital Trade and Innovation Tour, coordinated by the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub in collaboration with the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI).
He said the programme adapts international innovation practices to Nigeria’s environment while addressing structural challenges that have limited startup growth.
Oloba noted that the initiative comes at a time when youth underemployment remains above 53 per cent and fewer than one in 10 startups survive beyond their third year.
According to him, the pilot phase will focus on building stronger innovation clusters across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones through ecosystem mapping, knowledge exchange, collaborative innovation programmes and sustainability initiatives.
He added that the programme would initially support innovation in sectors including financial technology, agricultural technology, cybersecurity and health technology as part of broader efforts to promote economic diversification and innovation-driven growth.
Oloba said the pilot phase of the Nigeria Innovation Cluster Exchange commenced on July 6 with participation from entrepreneurship support organisations, research institutions and other industry stakeholders.
The issues
Nigeria has one of Africa’s fastest-growing startup ecosystems, but innovation support organisations often operate independently with limited coordination. Stakeholders say stronger collaboration among incubators, accelerators, research institutions and industry players could improve startup survival rates, reduce duplication of programmes and strengthen the country’s innovation ecosystem.
What’s being said
“Today, we are moving from celebrating isolated pockets of brilliance to engineering a collective national engine for growth.” — Oluwajoba Oloba, Co-founder, The Nest Innovation Technology Park
“We are not just launching a programme; we are activating the connective tissue Nigeria’s economy has long demanded.” — Oluwajoba Oloba
What’s next
The pilot phase will connect innovation stakeholders across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, with organisers expected to evaluate its impact on collaboration, startup support and ecosystem development before considering wider expansion.
Bottom line
The UK-Nigeria Tech Hub and The Nest Innovation Technology Park hope the Nigeria Innovation Cluster Exchange will strengthen collaboration across Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem, improve support for startups and contribute to long-term technology-driven economic growth.
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