FG Reiterates National Innovation Hubs Framework Will Strengthen Ecosystem at Lagos Workshop

Hub operators, startup founders, investors, and other stakeholders convened at CcHub in Lagos for a technical validation workshop on the National Innovation Hubs Standard Framework. This initiative, led by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, aims to establish a unified national approach for assessing innovation hubs across the country.

The Framework evaluates hubs based on seven criteria: governance, infrastructure, program delivery, human capital, networks and partnerships, track record, and sustainability. Held shortly after a similar stakeholders' engagement in Abuja, the Lagos workshop gathered over 60 participants to discuss the identification and assessment of innovation hubs.

CcHub facilitator Gbanaibolulou Burutolu guided attendees through the process, emphasizing the importance of structure and documentation in defining these hubs. The workshop also introduced the three proposed tiers of innovation hubs - foundational, established, and leading - encouraging participants to assess their own hubs and determine their tier.

National Coordinator of the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation, Victoria Fabunmi, addressed concerns about inclusivity and the potential for the Framework to become a licensing mechanism. She clarified that the Framework is a living document, open to feedback and improvements. Fabunmi highlighted the critical role innovation hubs play in Nigeria's digital ecosystem, often overshadowed by the startups they support.

She stressed that the Framework's goal is to strengthen hubs and enhance their entrepreneurial structures, providing a developmental pathway for them to become more effective. The next validation workshop is planned for Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where stakeholders from neighboring states are expected to participate.