The event, themed “The Convergence,” is designed to spotlight 19 emerging startups that have participated in the Hub’s accelerator and incubation programs, and invite them to pitch their solutions to investors, venture capital funds, corporate partners, and the media.

The Ilorin Innovation Hub, a partnership between the Kwara State Government and IHS Nigeria, began operations in February 2025 with programs managed by Co-creation Hub and Future Africa.

The Demo Day presents an opportunity to take stock and assess how the Ilorin Innovation Hub is helping to nurture and bring to life groundbreaking ideas and solutions supporting economic resilience and addressing real-world societal challenges.

The event is expected to help unlock funding opportunities, foster strategic collaborations, and amplify visibility for these startups that are developing solutions across critical sectors including agriculture, health-tech, green energy, lifestyle, and digital services.

Beyond the startup showcase, the Demo Day highlights Kwara State’s continued commitment to driving digital innovation and entrepreneurship, and IHS Nigeria’s commitment to bridging the digital divide and deepening the digital economy in Nigeria.

Mohamad Darwish, CEO, IHS Nigeria, commented,

“We believe innovation and digital technology are powerful drivers of economic growth and sustainable development. This is why we partnered with the Kwara State Government on the Ilorin Innovation Hub. It is impressive and very fulfilling to see the diverse portfolio of ideas and solutions showcased today from the hub within a year of the commencement of operations. This speaks to the depth of creativity among Nigerians and what is possible when they are equipped and supported. Today’s event makes me proud of our investment in the space and underscores IHS Nigeria’s continued commitment to supporting technology, entrepreneurship, and digital innovation in Nigeria.”

Temi Kolawole, Managing Director, Ilorin Innovation Hub, commented,

“Today, we showcase 19 startups that have shown that when you combine talent with the right support, the results speak for themselves. The Ilorin Innovation Hub exists to ensure that geography is never a barrier to building something extraordinary, and this Demo Day is proof that we are on the right track.”

The company envisions the Hub as a launchpad for future unicorns and a magnet for young innovators from Kwara State and the surrounding regions.

Speaking during a virtual town hall session organized by the Ilorin Innovation Hub with the theme “From Ilorin to the World: Building a Globally Recognized Technology Hub,” Mr. Kazeem Oladepo, senior vice president & chief operating officer, IHS Nigeria, emphasized the importance of collaboration, mentorship, and community engagement in nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs.

“We see the Ilorin Innovation Hub as a platform to attract top talent—not just from Ilorin, but from across the region’s tertiary institutions and tech ecosystem,” Oladepo said. “This is an opportunity to build globally impactful companies by harnessing local brilliance with global insight.”

Mr. Temi Kolawole, managing director/CEO of the Ilorin Innovation Hub, described the town hall as a homecoming for top minds with roots in Kwara State.

“This is a convergence of visionaries—people who’ve built, scaled, and invested in world-class companies—now giving back to shape a collective future,” Kolawole said. “Our partnership with IHS Nigeria exemplifies what’s possible when public sector ambition meets private sector expertise.”

Responding to a participant’s question on how individuals could contribute towards the growth of the hub, Mr. Oladepo encouraged industry experts present to engage directly with the Hub’s program managers – future Africa and Cc-Hub, provide mentorship, and help in aligning the training modules with local and global market realities.

“IHS is already investing financial, technical, and intellectual resources into the Hub. But to truly thrive, we need champions within the ecosystem—mentors who’ve built real businesses—to guide young people as they develop transformative ideas,” he noted.

Highlighting long-term sustainability, Oladepo called for the inclusion of successful professionals and entrepreneurs in the Hub’s activities to ensure relevance and adaptability.

“Let’s bring in those who’ve succeeded in fields like e-commerce, logistics, Healthtech, and Data Mining. Their insights can help refine the Hub’s programs and ensure participants extract real value,” he added.

Other speakers at the session included Ms. Anu Adasolum, founder & CEO of Sabi, and Mr. Chris Folayan, Founder of Founder Centered.

The virtual townhall was well attended with participants including tech enthusiasts, founders, startups drawn from both within and outside Nigeria.

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.

The TowerCo is part of the IHS Holding Limited (NYSE: IHS) (“IHS Towers”) group, one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared communications infrastructure in the world by tower count.

This technology and innovation center, located in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, is an initiative of the Kwara State Government, built and equipped in partnership with IHS Nigeria, who are also operationalizing the facility.

Covering a land area of over 13,000 sqm, with seating capacity for over 1,000 users, the Ilorin Innovation Hub is arguably the biggest technology space of its kind in West Africa and considered a masterpiece of functional space and design architecture.

The facility has been designed and built as an ecosystem to help nurture creative talents, drive technological innovations, entrepreneurship, and overall economic growth across Kwara State in particular, and Nigeria in general.

It is aligned with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda of investing in the digital economy to stimulate local industries, enhance competitiveness, increase productivity and provide millions of Nigerians with new skills, as well as long-term employment and wealth creation opportunities.

As part of their commitment, IHS Nigeria is working with two program managers, Co-creation Hub (CcHub) and Future Africa, to facilitate the rollout of programs aimed at empowering startups, businesses, and young innovators with the tools to succeed in the digital economy.

CcHub is a leading pan-African creative and innovation ecosystem enabler. They will design and implement sustainable models to help build capacity for innovation, support top innovators and startups in the region, and strengthen the innovation ecosystem, further helping attract and connect key players.

Future Africa is an innovation fund dedicated to supporting founders who are shaping Africa’s future.

They will oversee the implementation of three key programs: Advanced Technical Leadership Training, Corporate Innovation and Accelerator Program; and Ecosystem Development and Mentorship Initiative.

Through the above programs, IHS Nigeria and the Kwara State Government are aiming to help stimulate the growth of the technological ecosystem in Kwara State and across Nigeria.

Together, their vision is that the Ilorin Innovation Hub and its programs will help create over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs in Nigeria, focusing on digital skills, artificial intelligence, agricultural technology, and energy innovation.

This initiative also complements IHS Nigeria’s ongoing partnership with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy on the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) Learning Community, aimed at empowering three million Nigerians with critical digital skills.

In October 2024, the Hub invited young artists from Kwara State and across Nigeria to participate in an Arts Hackathon by submitting art works that resonate with the themes of innovation, creativity, and local community development.

The aim was to showcase the unique relationship between creativity and science. Ten artists, whose works were selected from over 250 entries, each received a cash prize of ₦500,000 and will have their artwork displayed in the Innovation Hub.

Mohamad Darwish, CEO, IHS Nigeria, commented,

“I am extremely proud of IHS Nigeria’s role in developing the Ilorin Innovation Hub. This marks another critical milestone in IHS’ efforts to improve the lives of people in our operating communities by supporting innovation, entrepreneurship, and overall wealth creation in Nigeria.

As Nigeria’s backbone of digital possibilities, and an enabler of mobile connectivity, we believe this hub will create opportunities for millions of Nigerians with brilliant ideas looking for the facilities, training, expertise, mentorship and funding support to turn their ideas into viable businesses. Businesses that will contribute to the overall socioeconomic upliftment of Kwara State, and Nigeria more broadly.

“We are optimistic that this facility will support the rise of additional unicorns in Nigeria in multiple sectors, highlighting the depth and resilience of Nigeria’s talent to compete in the global market, akin to how IHS, as a company with roots in Nigeria, has already demonstrated.”

The Art Hackathon is a celebration of creativity and innovation among young enterprising Nigerians. Artists from Kwara State and across Nigeria are invited to submit works that resonate with the themes of innovation, creativity and local community development, and display high technical proficiency.

Selected artists will receive a cash prize of ₦500,000 for each work chosen and have their artwork displayed in the Ilorin Innovation Hub, providing an opportunity to leave their own legacy at the hub.

For eligibility requirements and further information, follow this link to register and send in your entry by November 14, 2024.

The Ilorin Innovation Hub, a state-of-the-art 3,000ft2 facility, is an initiative of the Kwara State Government developed in partnership with IHS Nigeria.

The hub will run programs that seek to foster technological advancement, entrepreneurship, and overall economic growth across the region, and Nigeria in general.

The hub aims to provide a conducive environment for startups, tech enthusiasts, and innovators to collaborate, develop new ideas, and help bring their projects to fruition.

Key features and services to be offered at the Ilorin Innovation Hub will include co-working spaces, incubation and acceleration programs, as well as workshops and training on technology and entrepreneurship.

It will also provide a networking platform for players in the tech and venture capital ecosystem, while helping tech startups access investors and opportunities for funding.

Kazeem Oladepo, SVP and chief operating officer, IHS Nigeria, commented, “Art and technology define and continue to reshape the world we live in.

Today, the rapid expansion of digital technology is changing the art world in new ways, and vice versa, through the advent of innovative digital tools.

“It is this unique relationship between creativity and science that influenced our decision to include an Art Hackathon leading up to the opening of the Ilorin Innovation Hub. We are proud to work with the Kwara State Government on this initiative, which also aligns with our ambition of promoting local talent and creating opportunities for young people in the region. I look forward to the various expressions of creativity that this event will showcase.”

Inuwa who was represented by Babajide Ajayi, the Director of Zonal Offices Directorate (ZOD) of the agency, said this at the recently concluded e-Government Hackathon organised by Ilorin Innovation Hub in Collaboration with the Kwara State Government to discover solutions to real-life problems that can transform governance and public sector operations with a focus on leveraging new technologies to bridge the existing gaps in governance.

According to Inuwa, the enactment of the Nigerian Startup Act (NSA), which was the outcome of the collaborative effort of the ecosystem and the Presidency, spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, under the leadership of the Minister, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), is a testament that Nigeria is on the right track to harnessing the potentials of digital economy.

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Inuwa argued that the NSA is aimed at providing; a legal and institutional framework for the development of startups; providing an enabling environment for establishment and operation of startups; development and growth of tech-related talents; and positioning Nigeria’s startup ecosystem as the leading digital technology center in Africa.

He also called on the Kwara State Government and all State Governments across the country to key into the implementation of the NSA to provide opportunities and resources that will empower more indigenous tech innovators to churn out solutions for local problems. Adding that this will provide a platform of support to young innovators to develop and commercialise their innovative ideas and be able to compete favourably in the global innovation space.

Inuwa also appreciated the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for facilitating the partnership between the Ilorin Innovation Hub and the State Government by making the e-Government Hackathon become a reality towards unveiling innovative solutions by Nigerian youths, and by serving as one of the sustainable pillars to position Nigeria as a leading entrepreneurial hub in Africa.

The DG further commended the organisers for the initiatives which focused on; power and renewable energy; hardware (Internet of Things (IoT), drones, mobile devices); connectivity; web & mobile applications; and security & privacy.

He said, “the Hackathon will serve as a veritable platform for our talented youths to showcase their innovative ideas and solutions which the government is prepared to adopt for improved efficiency in public service delivery and increased productivity in government administration.”

“It is heartwarming to know that this hackathon is geared to support and promote indigenous talents to come up with relevant innovative solutions to our local problems, improve the way we do things, and engender prosperity in our environment. So, this is a challenge for the participants to come up with clearly defined ideas and develop solutions with an emphasis on the five specific areas of the hackathon.”

He stated that, “NITDA is proud to be associated with this laudable initiative. Your effort to drive the adoption of technology across the State is a demonstration of your administration’s commitment to transforming Kwara State into an economically viable and self-sustainable State where digital skills, youth empowerment, innovation, and technology thrive.”

Inuwa added that “Suffice it to say that your programmes are in alignment with several initiatives and programmes of the federal government that are being implemented by NITDA through its Special Purpose Vehicles, the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), and the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), to develop and grow Nigeria’s digital innovation ecosystem.”

He further assured that NITDA remains committed to the partnership with the Kwara State government for the continued support and promotion of talented and exceptional indigenous innovators towards helping them grow and continue developing innovative solutions that will boost the economic fortune of the state, and Nigeria’s digital economy sector in general.

He also charged the participants to impact their environment with innovative solutions that will change the narrative of national economic development for the better.

On his part, Temi Kolawole, the Managing Director of the Ilorin Innovation Hub, stated that the programme was organised to address key issues in government and revolutionise the way government operates in Nigeria, and how it can become more efficient through the adoption of technology and digital transformation.

He added that the contestants were grouped into 50 teams, each focusing on a specific area of government businesses and tackling identifiable problems, including letter and memo tracking systems, data capturing systems, and medical record systems for hospitals.