By Busola Bamidele
Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem took centre stage as the iHatch National Demo Day (4th Cohort) concluded with standout founders pitching solutions built to scale across markets.
The programme, led by NITDA in partnership with JICA, brought together some of the country’s most promising early-stage startups after months of state-level and regional screenings.
Established in 2021, iHatch was designed to create an enabling environment for young Nigerians to turn ideas into viable enterprises—strengthening the SME pipeline and contributing to wider economic transformation.
The initiative also supports the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda by opening structured pathways for homegrown talent to drive digital innovation and economic diversification.
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After a rigorous selection process, the top founders presented their innovations before investors, hub managers, and policymakers. The standout performers are:
- Interface Africa – $15,000
Supporting the clean energy transition through structured, affordable solar financing for households and small businesses. - Ahioma – $12,000
Enhancing food access with a digital platform that connects consumers directly to trusted vendors. - Linia Finance – $10,000
Helping Nigerians take control of their finances with easy-to-use budgeting, tracking, and smart planning tools. - Chapta – Laptop Reward
Delivering an offline-capable school application that ensures consistent learning even in low-connectivity communities. - Softdrop – Laptop Reward
Providing a modern delivery platform built to solve logistics bottlenecks with speed and convenience.
