Startup founders secure seats in Nigeria’s top digital innovation council, marking a new era of inclusive policy-making under the Nigeria Startup Act.
The Startup Consultative Forum (SCF) has concluded its election process, producing four representatives who will serve on the National Council for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NCDIE), the top governing body established under the Nigeria Startup Act (NSA) to drive the nation’s innovation agenda.
A statement by Hadiza Umar, Director of Corporate Communications and Media Relations at the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), announced the newly elected members:
- Iyinoluwa Aboyeji – South West
- Charles Uchenna Emembolu – South East
- Abba Ibrahim Gamawa – North East
- Victoria Ojoagefu Manya – North Central
According to Umar, these representatives will ensure that grassroots innovators, tech founders, and digital entrepreneurs play an active role in shaping national policies that support startup growth and competitiveness.
She noted that the election was coordinated by the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI) under NITDA, in full compliance with the Nigeria Startup Act. The transparent and inclusive voting process, she said, allowed members from all six geopolitical zones to nominate and elect their representatives.
“The inclusion of elected startup founders in the NCDIE marks the first time in Nigeria’s history that innovators will share a decision-making platform with government agencies, regulators, investors, and academia,” Umar stated, describing it as a “landmark achievement for inclusive governance.”
The NCDIE serves as the principal body implementing the Nigeria Startup Act, tasked with creating policies, coordinating national innovation strategies, and supporting the establishment and scaling of tech enterprises.
Umar emphasized that the development will build trust between the government and the startup ecosystem, enhance policy feedback, and create a more supportive environment for entrepreneurs.
NITDA, through ONDI, reaffirmed its commitment to building a thriving digital economy and ensuring innovation becomes a cornerstone of national development.
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