The Innovation Support Network has unveiled a strategic roadmap aimed at redefining the impact of innovation hubs across Nigeria by the fourth quarter of 2027, with plans to scale 120 innovative businesses, create over 10,000 jobs, and secure $3m 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 stakeholders gathered to discuss the future of Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.
Chairman of ISN, Hanson Johnson, explained the vision in a statement issued on Sunday, as he said, “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 outlined five pillars of the 2027 Strategic Roadmap, designed to transform Nigeria’s innovation landscape. Central to the plan is the scaling of entrepreneurship, with ISN committing to provide 120 innovative businesses with the resources needed to move from ideation to market leadership.
The network also aims to facilitate the creation of 10,000 direct and indirect jobs, strengthening the workforce in the process.
“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.
“The talent development component of the roadmap is equally ambitious, with plans to train 30,000 Nigerians in digital skills and successfully link 10,000 of them to meaningful employment opportunities. This year, we aren’t just looking at the months ahead; we are setting our sights on a transformative milestone. As a network, we are aligning our efforts toward this bold 2027 Strategic Roadmap that will fundamentally change how innovation hubs operate in Nigeria,” Johnson emphasized.
To support these ambitions, ISN plans to secure at least N300 million in dedicated funding for its core programmes, underscoring the scale of investment required.
In the first quarter of 2026, ISN will launch several critical initiatives, beginning with the Nigerian Innovation Hub Assessment Report, supported by GIZ and co-funded by the European Union. The study analyzed over 190 innovation hubs nationwide, examining legal structures, organizational frameworks, sectoral focus, and business models.
“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 report also provides comparative insights with hubs across Africa and maps the ecosystem, offering a data-driven foundation for policy interventions and funding decisions.
Complementing the assessment, ISN is piloting an Audit and Certification Framework for Innovation Support Organizations, also supported 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. This framework addresses challenges of fragmentation, uneven quality, and lack of accountability. While many organizations play a critical role in entrepreneurship and innovation support, their capacity and credibility vary,” Johnson explained.
Through these initiatives, ISN aims to strengthen Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem, enhance investment readiness, and ensure sustainable growth for startups and innovation hubs across the country.
