Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has appointed four key figures from the startup community to join the National Council for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NCDIE). This move marks a pivotal advancement in the execution of the Nigeria Startup Act, a 2022 legislation aimed at aligning government initiatives with the dynamic growth of the country’s technology sector.
Through its Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), NITDA announced that Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Victoria Manya, Charles Uchenna Emembolu, and Abba Ibrahim Gamawa were selected via the Startup Consultative Forum (SCF) to serve two-year terms on the Council.
These individuals have been chosen to advocate for the startup community’s interests, contribute policy recommendations, and ensure that entrepreneurs and innovators play an active role in fulfilling the objectives of the Act. According to NITDA, their involvement will be instrumental in shaping Nigeria’s startup landscape, fostering inclusivity, and driving innovation that delivers measurable economic and social benefits nationwide.
This development underscores Nigeria’s commitment to activating a core promise of the Startup Act: empowering the tech ecosystem with a direct voice in policy formulation. The Council is tasked with overseeing the implementation of initiatives such as startup certification, investment incentives, skills development programs, and regulatory reforms outlined in the legislation.
The appointed representatives bring diverse expertise spanning entrepreneurship, policy advocacy, and ecosystem development. Aboyeji is a Founding Partner at Future Africa, a Lagos-based early-stage venture capital firm; Manya co-founded and directs Advocacy for Policy and Innovation (API); Emembolu leads TechQuest STEM Academy and Roar Nigeria Hub and chairs the Innovation Support Network, a coalition of local tech hubs; while Gamawa founded Go Agent Limited, a company that connects clearing agents, transporters, and importers within Nigeria.
Enacted in October 2022 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigeria Startup Act establishes a comprehensive legal and institutional framework to nurture tech-driven startups. It tackles critical challenges such as access to capital, regulatory hurdles, infrastructure deficits, and talent development, positioning Nigeria as a premier digital innovation hub across Africa.
The Act also creates the National Council for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship as the primary body responsible for coordinating startup-related policies. Chaired by the President with the Vice President as Vice Chairman, the Council includes the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, the Central Bank Governor, the Director-General of NITDA (serving as Secretary), representatives from the Nigeria Computer Society and the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria, alongside the four SCF-elected startup delegates.
While the formal induction of SCF representatives is a crucial milestone, the effectiveness of their influence remains to be seen. The rollout of the Startup Act’s benefits-such as startup certification, tax incentives, and improved funding access-has been gradual, hindered by the slow establishment of necessary frameworks. Experts have highlighted challenges including inter-agency collaboration, limited resources, and execution capacity as potential obstacles to achieving the Act’s full impact.
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