Kwara State Positions as Emerging Tech Hub with IHS Towers Connecting Startups, Investors

The tech conversation in Nigeria has always been Lagos-centric. But that story is starting to change. Kwara State is now coming into its own with a burgeoning innovation ecosystem that’s starting to turn heads.

The Ilorin Innovation Hub is at the heart of this change. The facility recently hosted its inaugural Demo Day, drawing in investors, founders, and policymakers. The occasion was a year since the launch of the hub and there was a clear ambition.

Nineteen startups made pitches to potential backers. But nine of them were proposing solutions in areas such as energy, waste and digital services. Consequently, the Kwara tech hub is beginning to resemble less of an experiment and more of a serious contender.

Kwara tech hub making progress outside Lagos

‘Convergence’ was the theme of the Demo Day and reflected a broader push to decentralise innovation. Lagos has long been the epicentre of Nigeria’s startup ecosystem. Ilorin is now seeking to position itself as an alternative.

The hub includes more than 13,000 square metres. It can support over 1,000 users simultaneously. This scale makes it one of the largest tech spaces in West Africa.

Illorin innovation hub facility

Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State, represented by Damilola Yusuf Adelodun, succinctly stated the vision. “We are building an ecosystem where innovation will thrive and where our youth will be able to grow beyond what they see today. “We want Kwara to be a technology hub where startups can grow, ideas can grow and young people can build solutions that impact the state, the country and beyond.” This ambition reflects an increasing belief. Innovation doesn’t have to be in one city.

The private sector is playing a big role also. “Infrastructure is important,” said IHS Nigeria, which is a partner in the project.

Akeem Adeshina, who spoke for the leadership of the company, said: “At IHS, we know that innovation needs sustainable infrastructure. That’s the baseline we all need to deliver. “Our mission is not just to build towers – we are enabling connectivity and building the digital future.”

This backing now allows startups to access tools that were previously only available in large cities.

The hub has spent the last year focused on building talent. According to Kazeem Oladepo, the programme has already started to show results. “We’re showing you today the work they have done over the last few months… The startups we are highlighting have the ideas, concepts and products that solve problems that we all encounter in our daily lives.

Interestingly enough, investors are starting to take notice. There is increasing interest at home and abroad. But the problems remain. Fragmented support systems are a common problem for many start-ups. Funding, mentorship and market access don’t always align. 

As Temitope Yusuf succinctly put it. “Historically, we’ve seen founders struggle with disconnected systems—some have had funding but no mentorship, some have had mentorship but no access to capital.” She said the Ilorin programme was designed to bridge this gap. “We’re building a coordinated support structure to provide you with ongoing guidance.”

The effect is already visible. Startups such as Gauge and Flowsoft are helping companies run more efficiently. Meanwhile, GoChargeAm is looking at the distribution of energy across Africa.

And at the same time more founders are going through structured acceleration programmes. Nine companies have completed intensive training already; 23 ventures have received support since the launch.