In this article we take a look at the top 5 Hubs in South East Nigeria, their history and the amazing innovations in the ecosystem.
As the world goes digital, southeast states of Nigeria are not left out. Tech pioneers in south eastern Nigeria have taken up the mantle to champion tech hubs in the region. A laudable attempt to bring the region up to speed in the technological sphere.
Technology is the oil mine of the 21st century, a society cannot thrive in the 21st and coming centuries if its technological advancements are not in sync with the innovations of the day.
Why Launch Hubs
A tech hub is a community – informal or otherwise – that fosters innovation for technology startup companies. A tech hub can be a specific area or a specific building or set of buildings where small startups can rent space alongside each other to share facilities and ideas.
Companies build tech hubs to create an environment specifically targeted at helping young technology companies thrive by encouraging experimentation, not demonising failure, and helping firms network with other like-minded individuals and enterprises. It also makes it easier for firms to meet investors in order to get their project funded. It helps ideas germinate and companies prosper.
In simpler terms, a company named freshminds group creates a work space with electricity and available comfort to enable growth. 4 persons from different walks of life e.g. Ike, Ndidi, Amaka and David rent spaces there, share ideas and create a tech idea that can make an impact in the world. Hopefully, investors will get involved in their idea and make it go big.
This techpreneurship has brought a lot of innovations, example silicon valley that hosts the highest tech companies in the world like Apple, Facebook etc, there are equally tech hubs there that foster new ideas and innovations. It will interest you to know that there are such hubs in south east Nigeria birthing ideas and innovations to better the society. In no particular order we will list them below, one per state.
RAD5 Tech Hub was founded in 2014 with the slogan “Innovation at the Speed of Light”. The hub is recognised as one of the best among hubs in South East of Nigeria. People and businesses around the Southeast region of Nigeria and across the world trust the brand and services. The hub currently supports the growth of over 1,000 software engineers, designers, and technology entrepreneurs. RAD5 Tech Hub has her headquarters in Aba, Nigeria and employs about 50 people nationwide, more than 20% of whom work on contract basis within and outside the Southeast region.
Their innovations include:
● SchoolSuiteNg: a complete school management System.
● Saliventory: a seamless online sales and inventory system for SMEs.
● eCommerce Platform: a customizable eCommerce platform.
● BookBankNg: an online marketplace for book publication for authors.
● 4Ward.ng an e-card portal for result checking.
Anambra- DevAmplify Hub Awka.
Devamplify’s tech community is focused on tackling some of our biggest challenges in Africa using innovative technology. Community members have access to constant power supply and more at a very discounted rate for their budding startups.
Growing tech startups leverage on their support, shared office space, meetups and startup training to grow their idea.They also have Access to training, support and mentoring required to get started in the tech industry.
At devamplify, you learn Full Stack Web, Mobile & Game Application Development in a supportive and growth-focused environment, how to build a tech startup, acquire the skills required to scale your startup, plus get mentoring from startup mentors.
Anambra- DigiHub Nnewi Digital Villa
Among all the hubs in the south east of Nigeria, Digihub Nnewi is the youngest, it is featured here because of the bravery and vision behind its enactment by the CEO, Cornel Osigwe.
Digihub is the first and only tech hub in Nnewi- A town that boasts of a thriving economy but when it comes to technology it is nowhere to be found, this created a challenge where techies and tech enthusiasts relocate from Nnewi the industrial hub of southeast to other parts of the country.
Digihub comes as a leverage for them to transform the industrial space to a tech hub activating a synergy of both.
Digihub will equally afford millennials the platform to leverage on a co-working space, in a serene environment, one that has an uninterrupted power supply and other benefits like the academy that runs at the same space.
With the entry of Digihub, new skills and wealth transfer is about to happen in the supposed “Japan of Africa” Nnewi.
It has 5 employees at the moment and 3 techies working tirelessly to evolve the japan of Africa to embrace a tech form.
Ebonyi: Testrogen Hub Abakaliki.
Testrogen Hub is a tech company based in Abakaliki Ebonyi State , made up of a small team of innovative, Experienced web designers and developers, netpreneurs. They offer eye-catching, user-friendly design and development solutions to a Wide variety of businesses and organizations in Ebonyi state and across the country.
They work collectively with other industry leaders to bring Ebonyi State to be rated the most unique places in the world, high quality products with optimal performance, that allow them to provide cost-effective, web based platforms to Clients. Testrogen Hub will serve a wide range of clientele, from small business to large, worldwide corporate enterprises. Specifically they invest in young people for a sustainable future in Ebonyi state, promote partnership for progress, achieve excellence in everything they do.
Enugu: Genesys tech hub
The Genesys Tech Hub was founded in 2015 by Kingsley Eze. It was created to increase the technology talent pipeline in Nigeria. He is one of the individuals clamouring for tech penetration in south east Nigeria.
The hub provides opportunities for young people interested in launching careers in technology by giving them foundation technical and business education. They also help startups grow by offering them business mentorship and assistance with the development of their products.
The hub has seen such innovations as:
Artificial Intelligence on fraud detection and transaction integrity system aimed at curtailing financial fraud in Nigeria. It is currently in the pipeline for further implementation. If the country takes up this innovation and implements it, the proliferation of fraud in Nigeria will be reduced to the barest minimum.
The hub boasts of a total staff strength of 50 personnels currently.
IMO: Oluaka institute
The Oluaka Institute is a social enterprise established in 2017 to contribute in bridging the gap in practical training, business incubation and acceleration in the fields of technological innovation and business entrepreneurship in Nigeria, with a view to impacting social and economic problems in eastern region, where unmet needs are quite significant.Their program areas include Oluaka Developers Program, Heartland Incubation Hub, Enterprise Education for MSMEs and National Innovation Diploma.
They offer Diploma and Certificate Courses leading to the award of National Innovation Diploma (NID) in Computer software and Hardware Engineering and National Vocational certificate in Computer and GSM repairs. Students will have access to a world class facility and renowned tutors in Software and Hardware Engineering during the 2-year program. They provide support for top startups at the most critical stage.
Theirs is a bit different because they do not target a specific type of industry/segment. They help all start-ups build great products that solve real problems we face as Nigerians/Africans on a daily basis.
