NITDA, NACCIMA Partner to Connect Startups With Investors, Corporate Buyers
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NITDA, NACCIMA Partner to Connect Startups With Investors, Corporate Buyers
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, NACCIMA have entered into a strategic partnership to connect indigenous technology startups with investors, corporate buyers and business opportunities across Nigeria.
The partnership will also support a programme aimed at equipping 10,000 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, MSMEs with artificial intelligence tools, digital skills, financial readiness and market access.
The two organisations disclosed this in a joint statement announcing their collaboration to strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy by connecting technology developers with businesses in manufacturing, agriculture, mining, logistics and other sectors.
Under the agreement, NACCIMA will serve as a private-sector investment pipeline and commercial off-taker facilitator for startups, technology ventures and enterprise financing initiatives supported by NITDA.
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The partnership is expected to leverage NACCIMA’s network of more than 120 city, state and bilateral chambers, alongside industrial groups, to link technology innovators with potential investors and corporate customers.
The collaboration follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the organisations and the alignment of a Joint Technical Working Group to coordinate implementation.
The group is co-chaired by the Director of NITDA’s Special Duties Directorate, Dr Aristotle Onumo, and NACCIMA’s National Digital Economy Coordinator, Dr Segun H. Olugbile.
As part of the immediate implementation plan, NACCIMA will mobilise private-sector participation in the Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibition scheduled to hold in Abuja from November 10 to 12, 2026.
The association will organise business-to-business deal rooms, mobilise corporate investors and venture capital firms, participate in startup evaluation panels and connect indigenous technology companies with businesses seeking digital solutions.
The initiative is expected to provide technology startups with opportunities to secure commercial contracts and expand their operations by meeting the needs of established businesses.
Another component of the partnership is the proposed AI Enterprise Accelerator, designed to equip 10,000 MSMEs across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory with practical artificial intelligence applications, digital competencies, financial readiness support and access to markets.
The programme is intended to encourage technology adoption among small businesses and improve their capacity to compete in an increasingly digital economy.
The organisations also plan to introduce a digital trust mark platform to verify participating businesses and promote compliance with data protection requirements, cybersecurity standards and digital trust principles.
The initiative is expected to support confidence in digital transactions and cross-border commerce, particularly within the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.
Speaking on the partnership, NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, said the collaboration would help indigenous technology companies move beyond developing solutions to securing commercial opportunities.
“Combining government policy leadership with the active commercial demand of the organised private sector creates an unprecedented growth engine for Nigeria’s digital ecosystem,” Inuwa said.
He added that the partnership would give startups access to corporate buyers, domestic capital and sustainable commercial contracts through NACCIMA’s business network.
NACCIMA National President, Engr Jani Ibrahim, said the association was committed to facilitating investment and encouraging technology adoption across traditional industries.
According to him, connecting agriculture, manufacturing, trade and mining with digital solutions and technical talent would improve productivity and strengthen the resilience of the Nigerian economy.
The partnership will also explore opportunities to connect businesses with talent developed through the Federal Government’s 3 Million Technical Talent programme, popularly known as 3MTT.
To coordinate implementation, the Joint Technical Working Group is finalising the enterprise pipeline, deal-room arrangements and operational framework ahead of the planned unveiling at DNICE 2026.
The organisations said businesses, corporate investors, technology vendors and startups interested in participating in the deal rooms and AI Enterprise Accelerator would receive registration updates through NACCIMA’s Digital Economy Desk and the official NITDA platforms.
