The Innovation Support Network has unveiled a strategic roadmap aimed at redefining the role and impact of innovation hubs across Nigeria by the fourth quarter of 2027, with targets to scale 120 innovative businesses, create more than 10,000 jobs, and secure $3 million in follow-on funding.
The announcement was made at ISN’s Lagos Hubs Meetup, held at the Cedar STEM & Entrepreneurship Hub in Yaba, Lagos, where innovation hub managers, startup founders, policymakers, and ecosystem partners gathered to discuss the future of Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.
Speaking in a statement issued on Sunday, Chairman of ISN, Hanson Johnson, said the roadmap is designed to build a stronger innovation environment. “We want to build a globally competitive, inclusive, and investment-ready ecosystem where innovation hubs collaborate seamlessly, startups and SMEs scale sustainably, and public policy supports enterprise growth and economic transformation. Our hubs are no longer just physical spaces; they are the engines driving economic resilience and technological advancement across the country,” he said.
Johnson explained that the 2027 Strategic Roadmap is built on five core pillars that will reshape how innovation hubs operate nationwide. A major focus of the plan is entrepreneurship scaling, with ISN committing to support 120 innovative businesses by providing access to mentorship, networks, and tools required to move from early ideas to market leadership.
Job creation is another key goal of the roadmap. According to Johnson, ISN aims to facilitate the creation of over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs, strengthening Nigeria’s workforce and expanding opportunities across multiple sectors.
Funding sustainability also features strongly in the plan. “Perhaps most significantly, ISN has set its sights on securing $3 million in follow-on funding for these businesses within a five-year window to ensure their long-term sustainability,” he stated.
The roadmap also emphasizes talent development. ISN plans to train 30,000 Nigerians in relevant digital skills and connect 10,000 of them to meaningful employment opportunities. Johnson said the network is focused on long-term impact. “This year, we aren’t just looking at the months ahead; we are setting our sights on a transformative milestone,” he said.
To drive these initiatives, ISN disclosed plans to secure at least N300 million in dedicated funding for its core programmes to support nationwide implementation efforts.
In the first quarter of 2026, ISN will roll out key initiatives, starting with the Nigerian Innovation Hub Assessment Report. The report is supported by GIZ and co-funded by the European Union, and it examined more than 190 innovation hubs nationwide, reviewing legal structures, organizational models, sector focus, and business operations.
“Innovation hubs play a pivotal role in fostering entrepreneurship, stimulating economic growth, and supporting emerging businesses and freelancers. However, they face significant obstacles, including limited access to advanced infrastructure, constrained funding, and gaps in capacity-building initiatives. This assessment will help us address these challenges systematically,” Johnson noted.
The assessment offers comparative insights with innovation hubs in other African countries and maps Nigeria’s ecosystem, providing data to guide policy actions and funding decisions for stakeholders.
Alongside the report, ISN is piloting an Audit and Certification Framework for Innovation Support Organizations, also backed by GIZ and co-funded by the EU. “The framework introduces a tiered certification system—Foundational, Standard, and Advanced—designed to assess the maturity, credibility, and impact of Entrepreneurship Support Organizations and Innovation Support Organizations operating in Nigeria,” Johnson explained.
The initiative is to improve coordination, trust, and performance across Nigeria’s innovation support landscape.
