Three startups emerged winners out of 12 entrants at the iHATCH Cohort 4 National Demo Day, taking home a cumulative prize of over N52 million in seed funding. The event was organised on Thursday in Abuja by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
iHATCH (Idea Hatch) is a free, five-month incubation programme designed to help Nigerian entrepreneurs refine their business ideas through coaching, lectures, and boot camps, enabling the development of viable and scalable business models in innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship.
The winning startups were:
- Interface Africa – a platform enabling small businesses to access affordable solar financing, winning $15,000.
- Ahiaoma – a user-friendly marketplace that connects food producers directly to retailers, ensuring trust in the supply chain, winning $12,000.
- Linia Finance – a budgeting bank combining everyday banking with financial planning tools, winning $10,000.
Other participating startups included Ficore Labs, Cohortle, Eventro, PPTLinks, Garden in a Box, Easy Buy 4 Me, Soft Drop, and Grabb Livestock.
Mr. Al Amin Idris, Founder of Interface Africa, said he would use the prize money to train about 1,000 agents on affordable solar energy for underserved communities, creating jobs and unlocking investment for around 100,000 businesses, particularly in rural markets.
Mr. Nadungu Gagare, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, represented by Mr. Emmanuel Udoidiok, said the federal government remains committed to building an enabling environment for startups and innovators.
“The startups we celebrate today demonstrate that Nigeria has the talent and ambition to compete globally. They are developing high-impact solutions across sectors from fintech to health, tech, and agritech. Programmes like iHATCH are national priorities, strengthening our innovation pipeline and contributing to GDP growth and job creation,” he said.
Kashifu Inuwa, Director-General of NITDA, represented by Ms. Victoria Fabunmi, National Coordinator of the Office for National Digital Innovation (ONDI), said iHATCH began as a pilot in Abuja but has since expanded nationwide.
“Today, we are witnessing the emergence of founders on a national stage, ensuring that no talent is left behind,” he said, highlighting the federal government’s commitment to building an inclusive innovation ecosystem from the grassroots to the global stage.
