The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has credited the agency's strategic partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for fueling substantial growth within Nigeria's startup ecosystem.

The impact of this collaboration was highlighted at the closing ceremony for a project by AGROVESTO, a JICA-funded Agritech startup. Represented by Dr. Amina SamboMagaji, Inuwa pointed to Nigeria’s rise as a continental tech leader, with over 200 fintech startups like Paystack and Flutterwave revolutionising financial inclusion.

A key initiative of the partnership is the iHatch incubation program, which provides training, mentorship, and seed funding to new startups. Inuwa also emphasised the role of the Nigeria Startup Act in fostering growth through incentives like tax breaks and easier business registration.

“Through partnerships like the one with JICA, we are building a foundation for sustainable growth and global competitiveness. Nigerian innovations are poised to inspire the world,” he stated. JICA’s Chief Representative in Nigeria, Ishigame Kenji, praised AGROVESTO’s work, while the startup’s CEO, Bayo Adewoye, commended Nigerian farmers for their role in national food security.