The growth of the innovation sector in Nigeria over the last decade has been steady and is evident in the quality of start-ups, mentors, angel investors, innovation hubs and other stakeholders that are participating in the fast growing early stage entrepreneurial ecosystem.
To foster greater collaboration and knowledge sharing about providing services that support entrepreneurship, a group of hubs from across the country has come together to establish an organisation whose prime objective is to develop a community of best practices.
“We are pleased to announce the creation of Innovation Support Network (ISN) Hubs, an organisation of 75 Hubs from across Nigeria that have begun its process of registration as a legal entity, which welcomes all members of the growing community of Nigerian hubs with the goal of promoting collaboration among hubs supporting entrepreneurship and innovation in Nigeria,” said the organisers.
The mission of ISN Hubs Mission is to foster collaboration, inspire and support Nigerian hubs in building a diversified economy that promotes the development of technology, innovation and the early stage entrepreneurship ecosystem in Nigeria.
To ensure that ISN Hubs is an organisation that operates with world class corporate governance, member hubs have elected five directors to run its affairs and report to an executive committee comprising each of the founding hubs. The director run five directorates of the organization, namely corporate, finance, partnerships, ecosystem and marketing.
Abdulganiyu Yakub of DD Hubs, Kano, corporate director, commented that “ISN Hubs will be governed by a constitution written collectively by members and approved by the Executive Committee.”
The diverse nature of the organisation’s members is reflected in the board’s gender balance with two female board members and a female company secretary. The directors are: Abdulganiyu Yakub, Digital Development Hub, Kano; Fayo Williams, Exponential Hub, Ikeja; Solape Agagu-Hammond, Impact Hub, Ikoyi; Hanson Johnson, Start Innovation Hub, Uyo; Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, GoDo.ng Hub, Ikeja while Christie Eze, Kedge Anchor Hub, Port Harcourt is the company secretary.
Fayo Williams, partnerships director, is of the opinion that “the diversity already shown in the board formation will guide future engagements that will ensure innovative women entrepreneurs will be given equal opportunities to succeed.”
ISN Hubs believes that with the right kind of collaboration and partnerships, innovation will become deeper entrenched in our entrepreneurs and add tremendous value to the growth of the Nigerian economy.
According to Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata Jnr, marketing director, “ISN Hubs is aiming to create a platform for increasing collaboration between hubs through the facilitation of the identification, exchange and use of commercial best practices by workspaces, incubators and accelerators in Nigeria.”
Jumoke Akiyode-Lawanson
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