The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, on Friday performed the foundation-laying ceremony of the Renewed Hope Start-Up Hub (Innovation Hub) in Wuye, Abuja..
The project is expected to contribute significantly to Nigeria’s technological advancement.
Tinubu, at the event, said such a landmark development signified another important step towards, youth empowerment and digital inclusion across the nation.
Newsmen report that the project was carried out under the supervision of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
It did so in collaboration with the Government of Japan, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Tinubu acknowledged both NITDA and JICA for providing the strategic grant that made the hub possible.
She said such partnership highlighted the mutual belief in the vast, untapped potential of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem and the vibrant youth population.
“I commend the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, and the Director-General of NITDA, Malam Kashifu Abdullahi, and the entire team for their commitment in securing this partnership.
“The establishment of start-up hubs across the nation aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, which prioritises youth empowerment through entrepreneurship.
“President Tinubu also prioritises skills development and sustainable job creation, equipping young Nigerians to compete and thrive in the global economy,” she said.
The first lady said that the start-up hub would serve as a national centre for incubation, hardware prototyping, research and international business collaborations.
She encouraged the youth to explore the start-up hub to build up meaningful things for themselves.
“To our young innovators, this Start-Up Hub is yours.You can arrive here with a sketch and leave with a working prototype that takes you into the global market space.
“Let this hub be the home where your dreams are nurtured and scaled.
“To our partners from Japan, we say: ‘Arigato gozaimasu’ (thank you). You have shown that true friendship between nations is measured by the opportunities it creates for the next generation,” she said.
Tinubu called on the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and NITDA to ensure that the facility was accessible and inclusive, once completed.
The NITDA DG appreciated the first lady for her presence and promised that the agency would continue to fulfil its mandates in line with the aspirations of the Tinubu administration.
“We are investing in our people, the ingenuity of our people, particularly our young people, whose creativity, resilience, and entrepreneurial ambition is our greatest asset as a nation.
“We thank you for your leadership, for your commitment and for your presence here at this ceremony,
“Your commitment to empowering women, young people, and vulnerable communities resonates with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“It also resonates with his conviction that building a nation and development cannot be achieved without making all our people have access and participate in building that nation,” he said.
