In a significant move to deepen collaboration with the tech industry, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) will host the inaugural Startup Consultative Forum on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Abuja. The event marks a key milestone in Nigeria’s digital journey, aligning with the Nigeria Startup Act’s vision to integrate startups into national policymaking.
According to NITDA’s Director of Corporate Communications and Media Relations, the forum will bring together startup founders, innovators, investors, and ecosystem enablers to influence policies and frameworks that foster digital transformation and economic growth. The agency sees this initiative as a way to elevate startups from mere policy recipients to active contributors to Nigeria’s innovation economy.
A central part of the forum will be the nomination and election of representatives for the National Council for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship—the apex advisory body tasked with steering the nation’s innovation strategy. This council is expected to serve as a crucial link between the government and the startup ecosystem.
The meeting will also encourage open dialogue, enabling participants to share their needs, experiences, and policy recommendations. This participatory model aims to ensure that future strategies are inclusive, responsive, and grounded in the realities of Nigeria’s fast-growing tech sector.
Startups labelled under the Nigeria Startup Act, along with verified innovation hubs, angel investors, and venture capitalists, have been urged to engage actively in the forum. Their involvement is seen as essential to building a policy environment that supports innovation, investment, and long-term digital progress.
The outcomes of this first gathering are expected to shape how Nigeria develops and implements startup-friendly policies going forward—signaling a shift toward a more collaborative, future-focused governance of the tech and innovation space
