Local Innovation, Global Impact: IHS Nigeria’s support for African tech talent and startups

In the heart of Nigeria’s rapidly evolving tech ecosystem, IHS Nigeria, part of the IHS Towers group, is emerging as a catalyst for innovation and digital empowerment. Known for its industry leadership as a communications infrastructure company, IHS Nigeria is quietly solidifying its reputation as an enabler of the tech ecosystem and a backbone of Nigeria’s digital possibilities. Through strategic partnerships and upskilling programmes, the company is not only supporting Nigeria’s digital transformation but also helping nurture and build local talent to position Nigeria as a key player on the global tech stage.

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Innovation Infrastructure and Ecosystem Development

Across Nigeria, IHS Nigeria is enabling the digital access and connectivity that helps fuel innovation from grassroots to global level, with more than 16,000 towers and over 15,000 route kilometres of fibre optic cables deployed nationwide. IHS Nigeria’s impact also extends into the academic corridors of Nigeria through its support and establishment of innovation hubs. These hubs are designed to serve as launchpads for future tech entrepreneurs and startups.

The Ilorin Innovation Hub, powered by IHS Nigeria and believed to be the largest of its kind in West Africa, is one such hub. Unveiled in February this year, it has beendesigned as a collaborative space with co-working areas,incubation and acceleration programmes, mentorship schemes and access to funding, through its partnership with the Hub’s programme managers Co-creation Hub and Future Africa.

L-R: Head of Digital Health Innovations, Co-creation Hub (CcHub), Stephanie Okpere; Chief Executive Officer, Future Africa, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji; Chief Executive Officer, IHS Nigeria, Mohamad Darwish; Managing Director, Ilorin Innovation Hub, Temi Kolawole; Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Kwara State, Dr Mary Ayinde; and Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, IHS Nigeria, Kazeem Oladepo, during the press conference announcing the program kickoff at the Ilorin Innovation Hub on Thursday, 27 February, 2025, in Ilorin, Kwara State.

In July, in Kano State, the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) commissioned the Kano Digital Industrial Park which was rebuilt and restored with the support of IHS Nigeria, following its vandalization during the protests of August 2024. This park was first established to serve as a public centre providing a range of services to promote technological advancement and hands-on digital learning, and now that it has been rebuilt, it aims to continue serving in this role.

L-R: Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani; Executive Vice Chairman, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Aminu Maida; Deputy Governor of Kano State, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo; Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande; and Chief Operating Officer of IHS Nigeria, Kazeem Oladepo, at the commissioning of the restored Kano Digital Industrial Park, refurbished in collaboration with IHS Nigeria, on Wednesday, 2 July, 2025.

IHS Nigeria is also building a similar park in Maiduguri, Borno State, as part of its continued interest in supporting the tech ecosystem in Northern Nigeria. In Lagos, IHS Nigeria has supported the Lagos Innovates centre, which has a focus on energy and the environment in the Alimosho area, and the Lagos Chamber of Commerce / Bank of Industry (LCCI-BOI) Innovation Hub in Ikeja. For both centres, IHS Nigeria provided funding for construction, space fit-out, computers and other ICT equipment. In neighbouring Oyo state, it has also sponsored the development of an innovation hub at the Ladoke Akintola University in Ogbomosho. These hubs are not just physical spaces, but ecosystems that help increase access to digital tools and training where ideas can flourish, businesses can be born, and futures can be shaped.

Strategic Partnerships for Sustainable Growth

To achieve its aim of driving sustainable growth and development through technology, IHS Nigeria has alsoentered strategic partnerships with national and international organisations including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI). The company also sustains a strong partnership with the Federal Government through the Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, as well as the NCC.

By the end of 2024, through its partnership with UNICEF Nigeria, IHS Nigeria had helped provide internet connectivity and essential ICT devices to over 800 schoolsin underserved communities across 17 states in Nigeria. By providing these resources, IHS Nigeria enabled these schools to access the Nigerian Learning Passport, an online and offline curriculum application reaching approximately 1.7 million users. Designed by UNICEF in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, the Nigeria Learning Passport provides students and teacherswith access to online educational materials, interactive learning platforms and digital tools.

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Through such partnerships, IHS Nigeria continues to support the creation of research centres, digital economy programmes, and policy advocacy platforms to further enhance Nigeria’s tech ecosystem.

Upskilling the Next Generation

IHS Nigeria’s commitment to innovation and driving digital inclusion is also evident in its support for the Federal Government’s Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative. This initiative has enrolled 140,000 Nigerians to be trained in digital skills, helped 7,500 individuals gain full-time employment and created 30,000 entrepreneurial job opportunities as a direct result of this training. The company also champions Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and gender balancing through initiatives like the Women in Tech and Green Jobs (WITG) programme which, in 2024, provided 65 young women with training, certifications, and internship opportunities in tech and engineering vocations.

School administrators and teachers appear to also benefit from IHS Nigeria’s commitment to digital empowerment. Teachers across Jigawa, Kwara, Abia and Osun States have been successfully trained under IHS Nigeria’s digital literacy initiatives, while internet routers have also beendonated to their schools to further enhance classroom engagement and promote digital connectivity.

Since 2023, through various initiatives and partnerships with organisations such as STEM4DEV Project, KAD-ICT Hub, 9ijakids and the Limitless Space Institute, IHS Nigeria has contributed to the training and capacity building of over 5,736 individuals. In addition, the company continues to create pathways for Nigerian youths to further explore space science, software engineering, and digital innovation. Its recent sponsorship of the STEM Africa Fest is indicative of the company’s belief that early exposure to STEM education through hands-on learning experiences will ignite early curiosity and innovation.

Building the Future

As Nigeria continues to position itself as a leading hub for technological advancement in Africa, IHS Nigeria remains committed to fostering the growth of high-potential startups through its innovation hubs.

These hubs are envisioned as incubators for the next generation of unicorns and zebras, companies that will not only drive innovation but also generate employment, contribute to Nigeria’s economic development and nurture future tech talent. Through these commitments, IHS Nigeria is reinforcing its role as a catalyst for sustainable growth and technological leadership.