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The Federal Government has unveiled plans to establish a National Design and Development Agency aimed at supporting Nigerian innovators in transforming their ideas into commercially viable products. The announcement was made by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during a working visit to Innov8 Hub in Abuja on Monday, July 14, 2025.
According to Dr. Alausa, the proposed agency will serve as a national platform to help innovators refine concepts, secure funding, and access both local and global markets—effectively bridging the gap between innovation and commercial success.
“There are so many innovative Nigerians. Our role as government is to meet you halfway and create opportunities for your potential to thrive,” the Minister said. “We want to move ideas from the bank of concepts to the marketplace.”
Enabling Environment for Innovation
The move aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which emphasizes human capital development, youth empowerment, and economic diversification through innovation and entrepreneurship.
Dr. Alausa reiterated the administration’s commitment to fostering an enabling environment where creative minds can thrive. He noted that the National Design and Development Agency will champion community-informed financing models, allowing grassroots inventors to pitch their ideas for support and investment.
Advancing Market-Ready Innovations
Highlighting a major challenge faced by Nigerian startups, Dr. Alausa lamented that many innovative ideas fail to gain traction due to lack of mentorship, financing, and market readiness.
He encouraged innovators to prioritize commercialization, patent their inventions, and develop go-to-market strategies.
“You must take your products to market aggressively—Nigeria is filled with untapped opportunities. Even if 5 to 10 per cent of these ideas reach maturity, the societal impact would be massive,” he added.
Recognizing Innov8 Hub’s Contributions
The Minister commended Innov8 Hub, a technology incubation centre supporting Nigerian researchers, entrepreneurs, and inventors with hands-on training, product prototyping, and startup incubation. He praised the hub’s impact, particularly in agro-processing and small-scale manufacturing, and encouraged sustained collaboration between innovators, manufacturers, and financiers to scale viable solutions.
“What you’re doing here is essential—developing real-life solutions to real-life problems,” Dr. Alausa noted.
Innovation Milestones and Job Creation
Providing an overview of Innov8 Hub’s achievements, Dr. Deji Ige, Deputy General Manager, revealed that the hub has grown to 15 departments over the past five years, incubated multiple startups, and facilitated the creation of over 7,000 jobs nationwide.
From a modest beginning with 100 employees, the hub now hosts four active startups poised to generate further employment and contribute to Nigeria’s innovation economy.
The proposed National Design and Development Agency is expected to serve as a catalyst for inclusive innovation, empowering Nigerian creators to scale solutions that address local challenges while contributing to national development.
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