NITDA Launches Innovation Hub to Turn Corps Members into Tech Entrepreneurs
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA has launched a dedicated innovation hub aimed at transforming members of the National Youth Service Corps from job seekers into technology-driven entrepreneurs.
The hub, known as the NITDA Innovation Space, was inaugurated at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja, with top officials, technology stakeholders and corps members in attendance.
Speaking at the event, the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, said the initiative was a response to the demands of a rapidly evolving global economy where digital skills are critical.
“The world is changing fast. Many of the jobs we see today did not exist decades ago. If you want to succeed, you must build relevant skills and have a clear career strategy,” he said.
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Inuwa noted that between 3.5 million and 4 million young Nigerians enter the labour market annually, increasing pressure on conventional employment systems.
“Our goal is simple: before you leave here, you should either have built a business or created something valuable enough to earn you a place in the ecosystem,” he added.
He also stressed the importance of career planning and visibility, urging corps members to develop skills and define their professional paths early.
Drawing from personal experience, the NITDA boss recalled how a voluntary project he undertook during his service year earned him a ₦1.5m contract.
“You need to create visibility. If you stand out, you don’t have to ask for jobs,” he said.
In his remarks, the Director-General of the NYSC, Olakunle Nafiu, described the initiative as a model for youth empowerment and national development.
“We don’t just post corps members for service; we post them to add value and to be developed. What is happening here at NITDA is exactly what the country needs,” Nafiu said.
He commended corps members for developing market-ready digital solutions, noting that the programme reinforces the relevance of the NYSC in a technology-driven era.
“The future of this country is here with these youths; they are being transformed into better Nigerians,” he added.
Nafiu disclosed that the NYSC had commenced its own digital transformation, announcing that from the 2026 Batch A Stream One, the scheme would fully digitise its ID card system, allowing corps members to access identification via digital dashboards.
He also expressed interest in adopting a Place of Primary Assignment verification solution developed by corps members at NITDA, calling for collaboration to deploy it nationwide.
During the event, corps members showcased several digital solutions, including Smart ID Management systems and the Corps360 application, designed to improve identity management and operational efficiency within the scheme.
One of the innovators, Ruth Mmachi Owana-Jack, said her team developed a unified digital identity system to address inefficiencies in identity management.
“Identity cards cannot be updated in real time, leading to constant reprinting, while staff are forced to carry multiple cards with limited tracking,” she said.
According to her, the solution integrates mobile and web applications with a unified card supporting near-field communication for seamless usage.
“Our solution allows one card for all purposes—secure identification, real-time updates and seamless interaction across organisations,” she added.
Owana-Jack said the idea was shaped by her experience at NITDA, where she observed operational gaps in identity management and data handling.
Also speaking, a former corps member, Lukman Abdullahi, said the agency’s structured training exposed participants to real-world challenges.
“At NITDA, staff use multiple cards for different functions. This is inefficient and costly. Our solution integrates access, identity and business functions into one system,” he said.
He added that the exposure provided by the agency helped innovators showcase their ideas to national stakeholders.
For years, NITDA has absorbed an average of 700 corps members annually, nearly doubling its workforce, while focusing on training in emerging technologies and mentorship.
The agency has repositioned the NYSC year as an innovation pipeline, encouraging corps members to develop commercially viable solutions before completing service.
The innovation space will serve as a hub for the agency’s Idea to Impact programme, which supports corps members in refining ideas into deployable products.
Aligned with the digital transformation agenda of Bola Tinubu, the initiative signals a shift in national service from a routine exercise to a platform for innovation and enterprise.
