Nigeria’s tech ecosystem is experiencing a quiet revolution, and IHS Nigeria is at its centre. The telecommunications infrastructure giant is evolving beyond its traditional role to become one of Africa’s most important drivers of digital inclusion and innovation.
As a subsidiary of IHS Towers, the company manages over 16,000 towers and 15,000 kilometres of fibre optic routes across Nigeria. These investments form the invisible backbone of the nation’s growing digital economy, supporting everything from mobile connectivity to cloud-based innovation. By building this network, IHS is helping position Nigeria as one of Africa’s leading technology hubs.
Innovation Hubs Powering Tech Talent
In recent years, IHS Nigeria has moved from infrastructure to innovation. Across several states, it has launched and supported digital hubs designed to incubate new ideas, train tech talent, and accelerate startups.
Earlier in 2025, the company unveiled the Ilorin Innovation Hub, now considered the largest in West Africa. The space offers co-working areas, acceleration programmes, mentorship access, and investor networks through partners like Co-creation Hub (CcHUB) and Future Africa. Its goal is simple — to nurture Nigeria’s next generation of digital creators and entrepreneurs.
In Kano, IHS helped restore the Kano Digital Industrial Park, which had been damaged during protests in 2024. With support from the Nigerian Communications Commission, the park now operates as a vital learning and innovation space, giving local youth access to digital tools and training.
The company is also constructing a new hub in Maiduguri, Borno State, as part of its commitment to rebuilding and empowering the North East. In Lagos, IHS has expanded its footprint by funding the LCCI-BOI Innovation Hub in Ikeja and upgrading the Lagos Innovates Centre in Alimosho, which focuses on energy and environmental tech solutions.
Similarly, its partnership with Ladoke Akintola University in Ogbomosho, Oyo State, shows the company’s interest in linking universities to Nigeria’s broader innovation network.
Partnerships Driving Digital Inclusion
The reach of IHS Nigeria goes beyond infrastructure and innovation hubs. It has built meaningful partnerships with public institutions to boost digital access, especially in underserved communities.
Through collaboration with UNICEF Nigeria, the company has connected over 800 schools across 17 states to the internet, while delivering essential ICT devices. The initiative has given around 1.7 million students and teachers access to the Nigeria Learning Passport, an online education platform that supports hybrid learning and digital curriculum delivery.
IHS has also worked closely with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) to promote policy reforms and programmes that expand Nigeria’s participation in the global tech space.
The company’s role in the Federal Government’s Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme highlights its ongoing contribution to human capital development. So far, over 140,000 participants have been trained, creating 7,500 full-time jobs and 30,000 entrepreneurial opportunities.
Additionally, its Women in Tech and Green Jobs projects, launched in 2024, have provided hundreds of young women with mentorship, certifications, and career access in engineering and technology.
I am passionate about crafting stories, vibing to good music (and making some too), debating Nigeria’s political future like it’s the World Cup, and finding the perfect quiet spot to work and unwind.
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