Moniepoint Commits ₦3bn to Innovation Hubs Across Three Nigerian Universities to Build Future Tech Workforce
Digitnomics 
By Francisca Anuforo,
Moniepoint Group has unveiled a ₦3 billion investment to establish innovation hubs across three Nigerian federal universities, in a bold move aimed at strengthening the country’s technology talent pipeline and accelerating digital economy development.
The initiative, one of the largest recent private-sector investments in Nigeria’s higher education innovation ecosystem, will see dedicated technology and entrepreneurship hubs established at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife; University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN); and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria over the next three years.
Moniepoint said the three institutions were strategically selected to ensure geographic inclusion and equitable access to innovation opportunities across Nigeria’s regions.
The hubs will function as permanent centres for practical training in software engineering, artificial intelligence, data science, robotics, product design, entrepreneurship and emerging technologies, with programmes designed to prepare students for careers within Africa’s evolving digital economy.
The initiative was formally announced at Obafemi Awolowo University during an event attended by vice chancellors of the participating universities, academic leaders, technology executives, alumni and members of Nigeria’s innovation community.
Speaking at the unveiling, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Moniepoint Group, Tosin Eniolorunda, said the investment reflects the company’s belief that Nigeria’s technology future must be built on locally developed talent.
“When people look at companies like Moniepoint, they often see the outcome and not the foundation,” Eniolorunda said.
“This initiative is about paying that trust forward. Nigeria’s digital economy cannot run on potential alone; it requires deliberate investment in local talent and technical capability.”
According to him, the innovation hubs are designed to create a sustainable pipeline of industry-ready professionals capable of building globally competitive products and businesses from within Nigeria.
“Before we built companies, Nigerian universities built people like us,” he said.
“Institutions like OAU and UNILAG provided the formal training that shaped our careers. These hubs are our contribution toward ensuring the next generation receives similar opportunities, but with even stronger links to industry and practical innovation.”
Eniolorunda added that the hubs represent only the first phase of a broader ambition to support technology education across additional tertiary institutions nationwide.
“Scaling Nigeria’s digital economy requires high-density, world-class technical talent,” he noted.
“We are investing billions of naira to ensure that Nigeria’s technology ecosystem is powered by sustainable, homegrown excellence.”
Each hub will operate through structured, cohort-based programmes open to students across all academic disciplines.
Participants will receive mentorship, engage in hands-on projects and gain exposure to real-world product development and entrepreneurship.
Beyond infrastructure funding, Moniepoint said it will provide technical expertise through curriculum design, internship pathways, mentorship and expert-led learning sessions delivered by its engineering, product and business teams.
The company said this industry involvement is intended to ensure that training remains globally relevant while addressing the realities of African technology markets.
Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, described the partnership as a transformative investment in student potential and national development.
“Obafemi Awolowo University has always believed that knowledge must serve society,” Bamire said.
“This partnership with Moniepoint strengthens that vision. The Innovation Hub will not only expand what our students can learn but also reshape what they believe is possible.”
He commended Moniepoint for anchoring the initiative within Nigerian universities and pledged institutional support to maximise its impact.
Moniepoint said the hubs are designed as living innovation ecosystems rather than traditional classrooms.
Students will work on live projects, participate in collaborative programmes and connect directly with Moniepoint’s broader network of engineers, investors and technology leaders.
According to the company, the objective extends beyond technical training to cultivating a generation of builders and problem-solvers capable of shaping Africa’s digital future.
The initiative builds on earlier education-focused investments linked to Moniepoint’s leadership.
These include the ₦100 million CAD/CAM laboratory established at OAU’s Department of Mechanical Engineering through the Tosin Eniolorunda STEM Foundation, as well as the HatchDev Programme at the University of Lagos championed by Moniepoint Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Felix Ike, in partnership with NiITHub, which trains approximately 500 developers annually.
Moniepoint said the new innovation hubs reinforce its broader mission of creating financial and economic opportunity across Africa, arguing that digital prosperity depends not only on financial infrastructure but also on sustained investment in human capital and innovation institutions.
