Lagos Innovates, an initiative of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), has supported over 1,200 startups and trained more than 3,000 technology talents. The initiative aims to boost job creation and strengthen the state's technology ecosystem. Olanike Aladeojebi, head of startups at Lagos Innovates, disclosed this during a session at the maiden GrowthX by Techeconomy, held in Lagos.
Lagos Innovates focuses on building the capacity of technology talents, identifying early-stage startups, and supporting them through the difficult stages of turning ideas into viable businesses. The initiative provides early-stage startups and young talents with the support required to develop sustainable businesses. Aladeojebi said the government's role is to lower the costs of entering the technology ecosystem and ensure that those who come into the ecosystem are well-supported.
Since its establishment in 2018, Lagos Innovates has provided support to startups, including access to infrastructure through workspace vouchers, allowing them to work from professional innovation hubs. The initiative also operates an incubation programme designed to help founders validate their ideas, develop business structures, understand their markets, and gain access to potential investors.
The incubation programme currently has a call for applications open for startups seeking mentorship, structured training, and access to experienced facilitators. Aladeojebi said Lagos Innovates catches startups at the early stages of development, including the idea and prototype stages, when many founders may lack access to infrastructure, mentorship, and other resources needed to turn their concepts into businesses.
On talent development, Lagos Innovates has trained more than 3,000 people over the years and is targeting another 1,200 talents in Lagos through a new training programme covering seven high-demand technology skills. One of the programmes highlighted was the EkoAI Academy, a partnership between LSETF/Lagos Innovates and InnoPower Africa, aimed at reaching 10,000 young people in Lagos with practical AI skills.
The EkoAI Academy uses a train-the-trainer model, beginning with 100 master trainers who will cascade the training to other participants. Victor Ikenna, Talent and Client Success Manager at InnoPower Africa, said the programme was designed to demonstrate how government and private-sector organisations can combine their strengths to expand access to emerging technology skills.
The partnership between Lagos Innovates and InnoPower Africa seeks to equip young people with skills that can improve their productivity, career prospects, and access to global opportunities. The session also featured experiences from entrepreneurs who have benefited from government-backed interventions, reinforcing the importance of partnerships between government, private-sector organisations, and startups in building Lagos' technology ecosystem.
Key points
- Lagos Innovates supports over 1,200 startups and trains 3,000 tech talents.
- The initiative aims to boost job creation and strengthen the state's technology ecosystem.
- Lagos Innovates targets another 1,200 talents in Lagos through a new training programme covering seven high-demand technology skills.
