By Kingsley I. Ilechukwu, Bureau Chief, South West, Nigeria
Nigeria has taken a bold step toward deepening its innovation ecosystem with the official launch of an initiative designed to accelerate the implementation of the Nigeria Startup Act (NSA) and strengthen the country’s tech startup ecosystem, known as the Startup Consultative Forum.
This is according to a press release, issued Monday, by the Director of Corporate Communications & Media Relations at NITDA, Hajia Hadiza Umar.
While addressing the forum, NITDA’s Director -General, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, who was represented by the Ag. Director, Regulation and Compliance Barrister Emmanuel Edet described the platform as more than just a stakeholder meeting. “It is a commitment to building a stronger tech ecosystem through collaboration, inclusion, and data-driven governance, marking a new phase in the implementation of the Nigeria Startup Act,” Mallam Abdullahi said.
Abdullahi noted that the Nigeria Startup Act was more than legislation saying it was a framework for national development. “Startups are not fringe players. They are central to Nigeria’s economic future,” he asserted.
Abdullahi further mentioned that over the past eight months, NITDA had driven key activities under the Act namely stakeholder workshops across 10 states, roadshows at tech events like Lagos Tech Week, the Omniverse Summit, Moonlight Conference and the Akwa Ibom Tech Week, and awareness campaigns through digital and direct engagement.
The forum, according to him, would serve as a feedback engine, spotlighting regulatory gaps, guiding policy improvements, and shaping a startup-friendly environment.
Under the Renewed Hope Agenda and the guidance of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy(FMoCIDE), NITDA continues to support startups through initiatives like the Startup Portal, tech infrastructure deployment, and digital skill training across the country.
The NITDA DG emphasised that for startups to thrive, policies must be inclusive and responsive. “Inclusion is not charity. It is a strategy,” he said, calling for equal representation across gender, region, and sector.
While inaugurating the members of the Conservative Forum on behalf of the NITDA Director-General, the Director of IT Infrastructure Solutions, Oladejo Olawunmi, ignited the forum with a call to action, envisioning it as a vital nexus for collaborative breakthroughs. He inspired the members, saying, “We remain deeply committed to nurturing a space where innovation can flourish, and I call upon each of us to embrace the task ahead by shaping ideas into concrete policy and outcomes that leave a lasting impact,” said Mr. Olawunmi.
Earlier, National Coordinator of the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), Victoria Fabunmi in her opening address called the Forum, a “structured dialogue between those building the future and those enabling it.” She outlined five key pillars for success: access to funding, capacity building, supportive policy, inclusive innovation, and global competitiveness.
Mrs. Fabunmi urged startups to speak boldly, private sector players to offer more than capital, development partners to scale what works, and government to harmonize efforts. “This Forum must be a problem-solving platform, not another talk shop,” she concluded.
With the Startup Consultative Forum now launched, NITDA aims to turn policy into action, ensuring startups are no longer on the sidelines, but at the center of Nigeria’s innovation journey.
The virtual event was attended by private sector players, development agencies, verified Ecosystem Support Organisations (ESOs), angel investors, venture capital firms, and labelled startups from across the country.
