The Co-creation Hub (CcHUB), in partnership with IHS Nigeria, has announced a N29 million innovation grant aimed at assisting 10 young technology founders and early-stage startups nationwide, with the goal of strengthening Nigeria’s innovation landscape and advancing youth-driven entrepreneurship.
The disclosure was made by CcHUB Managing Partner, Nissi Madu, during the flagship Innovation Challenge and Hackathon hosted at the Ilorin Innovation Hub in Kwara State. She noted that the initiative is designed to build innovation capacity, create employment opportunities, and promote inclusive economic development through technology-enabled solutions.
The three-month programme featured nationwide roadshows and campus outreach activities, attracting more than 1,300 young participants and receiving over 500 applications before the August 18 submission deadline. “The selected innovators are developing solutions in fields such as artificial intelligence, clean technology, health technology, edtech, digital creativity, connectivity, and Big Data,” Madu stated.
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From the finalists pool, seven innovators will emerge from the hackathon track, while three will be chosen through the innovation challenge. These 10 selected participants will receive funding alongside technical support to further develop and scale their projects.
Temi Kolawole, Managing Director of the Ilorin Innovation Hub, described the programme as an intentional platform for identifying and accelerating tech-driven solutions focused on addressing both regional and national issues. He stressed that the initiative extends beyond monetary support, offering startups access to mentorship, investors, and key ecosystem partners to promote economic diversification, sustainable growth, and job creation—especially within Kwara State.
The three-day Innovation Challenge and Hackathon also functions as a feeder pipeline into the Hub’s Pre-Incubation and Incubation programmes, concluding with a Demo Day where the chosen startups will showcase their innovations to prospective investors and collaborators.
