The Federal Government has announced plans to set up a National Design and Development Agency aimed at helping Nigerian innovators refine their ideas, access funding, and reach wider markets.
The initiative was disclosed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during his visit to Innov8 Hub in Abuja on Monday, July 14, 2025.
The new agency is expected to act as a bridge between raw innovation and commercial success by supporting entrepreneurs in transforming their concepts into market-ready solutions, Nairametrics reported.
Dr. Alausa emphasized the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to building a supportive environment for innovation through investments in entrepreneurship and human capital.
“There are so many innovative Nigerians. Our job as the government is to meet you halfway and give you the opportunity you need to unleash that potential. We want to move ideas from the bank of concepts to the market,” he said.
He explained that the agency will provide a platform for community-informed financing, allowing innovators to submit ideas for potential support. This, he noted, could reshape the country’s innovation landscape.
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While speaking on some of the hurdles faced by startups in Nigeria, Alausa pointed out that many good ideas never see the light of day because of limited support and lack of readiness for the market.
He encouraged innovators to patent their work and push for commercialization.
“You need to aggressively move these products to the market; there are unlimited opportunities in Nigeria waiting to be tapped,” he said.
He stressed that even a small number of successful ideas could make a massive difference.
“Five to ten per cent of ideas, when brought to life, can change millions of lives. What you’re doing here is even more important, you’re focusing on real-life solutions we urgently need,” he added.
The Minister also commended Innov8 Hub for its role in supporting inventors, researchers, and entrepreneurs by turning ideas into viable products through training, prototyping, and startup incubation.
He praised the hub’s success in areas like agricultural processing and small-scale manufacturing and encouraged greater collaboration between innovators, manufacturers, and financiers to improve market access.
Dr. Deji Ige, Deputy General Manager at Innov8 Hub, gave an overview of the hub’s progress, revealing that it has grown to 15 departments over five years, incubated several startups, and created 7,000 jobs across the country.
He added that the hub, which started with 100 staff, now hosts four startups within its facility, with more job creation expected from their growth.
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Image Credit: European Commission
