Lagos Innovates backs startups, targets more tech jobs

Lagos Innovates, an initiative of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, has supported more than 1,200 startups and trained over 3,000 technology talents since it was established in 2018, as the state seeks to expand employment opportunities and strengthen its technology sector.

The initiative is targeting another 1,200 technology talents through a new training programme covering seven high-demand skills. In contrast, a separate artificial intelligence training partnership aims to reach 10,000 young people across Lagos.

The Head of Startups at Lagos Innovates, Olanike Aladeojebi, disclosed the figures during a session titled “Building Businesses, Creating Jobs and Driving Startup Growth” at the maiden GrowthX event organised by Techeconomy in Lagos.

She explained that the initiative was established to reduce the cost of entering the technology ecosystem and help early-stage businesses overcome the challenges of turning ideas into viable ventures.

“As a government, what we do can be summarised in one word. It’s basically to lower the costs of people coming into the ecosystem and also ensure that those that come into the ecosystem are well supported through a particular life cycle such that they get validation of their ideas very quickly,” Aladeojebi said.

The programme identifies startups at the idea and prototype stages, when founders often face constraints in accessing infrastructure, mentorship and other resources needed to develop their businesses.

Its support package features workspace vouchers that enable startups to work from professional innovation hubs, as well as an incubation programme designed to help founders test their business ideas, build viable business structures, gain market insights and engage potential investors.

Aladeojebi said sustaining the flow of talent, ideas and businesses was essential to building a viable technology ecosystem.

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“It must continue to flow. Talent must continue to flow. The ideas must continue to be stimulated,” she said.

Another initiative, the EkoAI Academy, seeks to equip 10,000 young people with practical artificial intelligence skills through a collaboration between the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, Lagos Innovates and InnoPower Africa.

The programme will use a train-the-trainer model, beginning with 100 master trainers who will pass their knowledge on to other participants.

The Talent and Client Success Manager at InnoPower Africa, Victor Ikenna, said the partnership would combine the organisation’s technical expertise and facilitators with the government’s access to potential trainees.

“We have the skill, we have the AI knowledge, and we have the facilitators, but we cannot teach ourselves. We need people, and the government has the people,” Ikenna said.

Participants will have access to an online learning platform featuring modules and courses, alongside live sessions twice a week.

The training is designed to help participants apply AI to existing professional skills, including graphic design, video editing and marketing, rather than limiting them to basic AI literacy.

The programmes reflect efforts to strengthen Lagos’ technology ecosystem by supporting early-stage businesses and developing the talent needed to sustain their growth. However, the number of startups supported and people trained does not establish how many jobs have been created or sustained through the interventions.