Nigeria is moving to establish common standards for innovation hubs across the country, as the Federal Government seeks to address differences in their capacity, service quality and impact.
The initiative, being developed by the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, through the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation, ONDI, will provide a national system for identifying, classifying, assessing and supporting innovation hubs.
Speaking at the Lagos Stakeholder Validation Workshop on the National Innovation Hub Standards Framework, NIHSF, ONDI National Coordinator, Victoria Fabunmi, said the framework is designed to strengthen and coordinate the innovation ecosystem, rather than introduce another regulatory requirement.
Fabunmi said the initiative could help Nigeria move from being one of Africa’s leading innovation ecosystems to the continent’s number one, with stronger hubs expected to generate more jobs, better solutions and greater economic impact.
She stressed that startups and young people should move beyond participating in programmes to developing solutions and enterprises capable of contributing to the real economy.
Fabunmi said the framework remains open to modification, with stakeholder feedback expected to identify gaps before it is finalised.
The HSF Lead Facilitator, Gbanaibolou Burutolu, said the framework became necessary because innovation hubs currently operate with varying approaches and capacities.
He said it would establish a common language, nomenclature, framework and architecture for hubs across Nigeria.
The proposed structure groups hubs into three categories: venture development, capability building and convening.
The assessment framework will cover seven areas: governance, infrastructure, programme delivery, human capital, networks and partnerships, track record and sustainability.
