For years, youths in Nigeria have heard the same advice: “Learn a skill, start a business, and you’ll be fine.”
However, even the most skilled graduates still find themselves endlessly job hunting. Lagos, the supposed land of opportunities, is overcrowded, and the dream of building a successful startup in Nigeria sometimes feels like chasing shadows.
But what if the next big thing in African tech wasn’t from Lagos or Abuja—but from Ilorin?
Well, the Ilorin Innovation Hub, a 13,000-square-metre tech centre is coming to change the story. Driven by the Kwara State Government in partnership with IHS Nigeria, this facility is not another government project that looks good on paper—it’s designed to create 10,000 jobs, incubate startups, and provide young innovators with the tools they need to build global businesses.
With the commencement of incubation and acceleration programs announced on Thursday, 27 February 2025, the hub has been described as the largest of its kind in West Africa, with a 3,000-square-metre indoor workspace capable of accommodating over 1,000 concurrent users.
For a state that has long been overshadowed by bigger commercial hubs, we hear the message—Ilorin is getting ready to compete globally.
With innovators like CcHub and Future Africa appointed to lead incubation initiatives, and the government slashing internet costs to attract digital businesses, Kwara State seems serious about becoming a tech giant.
So, could the next Nigerian unicorn be born in Ilorin? If this hub fulfils its promises, the answer might just be yes.
“Why Not a Tech Unicorn from Ilorin?” – IHS Nigeria CEO Challenges Innovators
In his address, Mohamad Darwish, CEO of IHS Nigeria, explained the technological growth and economic opportunities the hub will bring:
“This hub represents a bold step towards fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation, not only in Kwara State but across Nigeria as a whole,” Darwish stated.
He noted IHS Nigeria’s focus on digital infrastructure development, stressing that the hub is not just an edifice, but an ecosystem designed to promote creativity, train young innovators with skills, and provide access to funding and mentorship.
“Unicorns are emerging globally, so the question to ask is ‘Why not from Ilorin, Kwara State?’” Darwish stressed.
With a vision to generate over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs across sectors such as digital skills, agricultural technology, and energy innovation, Darwish affirmed IHS Nigeria’s goal to empower young entrepreneurs to build globally scalable solutions.
Government Endorsement: “The World Will Soon Hear of Kwara State”
Representing the Kwara State Government, Dr Mary Ayinde, commissioner for Tertiary Education, spoke on the prospects of the Ilorin Innovation Hub.
“This is another giant stride of His Excellency, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. Kwara State is going places, and the world will soon hear of Kwara State,” she said.
The state government had slashed the cost of right-of-way fees for fibre optic installations, reducing limitations for internet service providers (ISPs) and making connectivity more affordable for residents.
As a result, Kwara now has a low-cost, high-speed internet infrastructure, making it attractive for businesses and technology-driven enterprises.
Ayinde stressed the importance of connectivity in driving economic development, adding that the state is committed to ensuring that the hub serves as a launchpad for the next generation of Nigerian innovators.
Future Africa and CcHub to Lead Implementation of High-Impact Initiatives
IHS Nigeria has partnered with two renowned programme managers—Co-Creation Hub (CcHub) and Future Africa—to implement incubation and accelerator programmes designed to groom startups, businesses, and young innovators.
Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, co-founder of Andela and Flutterwave and founding partner at Future Africa, described the hub as the “seed of a new generation of billion-dollar businesses.”
“I recruited Kwara State as my top recruiting ground for Andela, a company that builds and deploys talent all over the world,” Aboyeji noted.
He affirmed that the Ilorin Innovation Hub would help in creating sustainable infrastructure, with a focus on agriculture, energy, and digital connectivity.
“We are here to work with entrepreneurs to build globally scalable businesses. The billion-dollar businesses of the future will move up from here,” he added.
Stephanie Okpere, design lead at CcHub, reaffirmed the organisation’s focus on supporting the hub’s research and entrepreneurship initiatives.
“In the last 15 years, CcHub has worked with over 50,000 startups, and we have the expertise to drive innovation at this hub,” she said.
She outlined plans for mentorship, talent development, and partnerships with universities, ensuring that the hub will serve as a pipeline for young innovators into the global tech space.
Ensuring Technological Advancement and Sustainable Infrastructure
The Ilorin Innovation Hub is being built with cutting-edge infrastructure designed to support innovation at a high scale. Features include:
- 13,000-square-metre campus with a 3,000-square-metre indoor work and event space
- Capacity for over 1,000 concurrent users
- Dedicated co-working spaces, conference halls, and an IHS Lounge
- High-speed connectivity for seamless digital collaboration
With a focus on sustainability, the hub will be powered by a solar energy system comprising 681 units of 5-kilowatt solar panels, generating approximately 584 megawatts of energy—enough to power 200 three-bedroom flats.
Added to these, the facility will include 600 kilowatt-hours of battery energy storage, ensuring an uninterrupted power supply. This solar-powered system is projected to save over ₦2 billion in energy costs over time.
The hub’s cooling system, featuring 96 DS cooling units, will be solar-powered, with the capacity to sustain up to eight four-bedroom flats, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.
Recognising the challenge of infrastructure maintenance in Nigeria, the project team has developed a solid facility management strategy to ensure the hub remains in pristine condition for years to come.
Measures will include:
- Regular audits and assessments
- Comprehensive cleaning and equipment servicing
- Long-term sustainability planning
The official commissioning of the Ilorin Innovation Hub is scheduled to take place later this year.
