Ekiti Invests N1.065bn in Start-Up Garage, Targets Jobs for Young Innovators

The Ekiti State Government has invested in technology and innovation initiatives aimed at building the ecosystem for a digital economy, with more than 750,000 residents reached through digital-skills programmes and connectivity initiatives.

Ayodele Ayo-Akande, Technical Assistant, Governance and Digital Communication, Ekiti State, disclosed this while highlighting the state’s efforts to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and digital skills among young people.

Ayo-Akande said that since the establishment of the Ministry in August 2023, the government had focused on initiatives including the Ekiti Start-Up Garage, Innovation Summits, STEAM Bootcamp, digital policy development, broadband and government network infrastructure, as well as the Innovation Enterprise Support Fund.

He described the Start-Up Garage as a major part of the state’s technology ecosystem because it provides infrastructure, mentorship, incubation and opportunities for collaboration.

“In 2025, the State Government also approved over N1.065 billion for a permanent facility for the Garage, which is now nearing completion,” he said.

According to him, the Start-Up Garage has recorded 250 users, trainees and supported innovators, while 350 public school students have participated in the two editions of the STEAM Bootcamp.

He added that the two Innovation Summits attracted about 4,000 participants, while 75 beneficiaries participated in the Founders’ Bootcamp, with seed funding of up to £35,000 provided through IUK-KTN.

Ayo-Akande further disclosed that 169 beneficiaries had benefited from the Innovation Enterprise Support Fund, while digital-skills programmes and connectivity initiatives had reached more than 750,000 citizens.

On job creation, he said the government’s strategy was to help young people move beyond simply consuming technology to creating businesses and employment opportunities.

“Our strategy is to move young people from being mere consumers of technology to becoming creators, entrepreneurs and employers of labour,” Ayo-Akande said.

He explained that the government was pursuing this through incubation, mentorship, innovation competitions, technical training and support for early-stage businesses.

According to him, the Innovation Enterprise Support Fund, approved with N100 million in 2024, was designed to support digital innovators and startups with resources, mentorship and access to investment opportunities.

He cited Team Savvy, a group of three young Ekiti innovators, as an example of the impact of the initiatives. The team won N5 million at the HarabiPay Squad Hackathon 2.0 with its fintech solution, Splitwise.

“We attribute part of their journey to exposure through the Innovation Summit and mentorship at the Start-Up Garage,” he said.

Ayo-Akande said the broader ambition was to create a continuous pipeline through which young people could progress from talent discovery and skills development to business incubation, funding and access to markets.