Technology
10 Best Places to Create a Startup Hub in Nigeria
Recently, I wrote about the most critical factors to consider before creating a startup hub in Nigeria. While any state government can actually make this happen, there are particularly some cities that could get it done faster within just a couple of years.
As Paul Graham, the most respected authority on startups put it: For the price of a football stadium, any town that was decent to live in could make itself one of the biggest startup hubs in the world. What’s more, it wouldn’t take very long. You could probably do it in five years during the term of one mayor (or governor).
Granted, most of the state governors claim to have ICT development plans but have hardly harnessed the economic benefits and potentials of a technology & business startup culture in certain cities.
With so much attention on diversifying the Nigerian economy from over-dependence on oil, to tourism, agriculture, and other sectors, what better time to focus on developing the “knowledge economy” driven by massive ICT infrastructure development in any given state or city.
According to a post over at LaptopJudge, a “Knowledge Economy” will naturally give birth to a new generation of technology-savvy entrepreneurs with a rare business culture – one that can support the vision of creating a startup hub in any city in the world.
Today, Internet and technology companies such as Google, Yahoo and Microsoft have become some of the largest employers of labour in the United States and have generated huge streams of revenue that has successfully driven the U.S economy.
Can this success be replicated in Nigeria?
Yes. But it would require a lot of effort and investment from the government and the private sector. Interestingly, there are a few states or cities in Nigeria I’ve identified where a “technology” startup hub could easily be created.
I’ll be profiling and analyzing five of these states and cities in this post, so in no particular order, here are 5 best places to grow a startup industry in Nigeria.
1. Ogun State
Located in south-western Nigeria, Ogun State has a 2005 population estimate of over 4 million inhabitants, with Abeokuta as the capital and largest city.
The state has the largest number of universities in Nigeria such as Crescent University, Abeokuta, Covenant University, Ota, Babcock University, Ilisan Remo, Bell University of Technology, Ota, and polytechnics such as Abraham Adesanya ICT Polytechnic, Ijebu Igbo, Gateway ICT Polytechnic in Saapade and Igbesa.
With heavy investment in education, ICT development and infrastructure and an on-going solar power e-learning project, Ogun state looks like a great place for startups to thrive. It had a GDP of $10.47 billion in 2007 and per capita income of $2,740.
Besides, the cost of living and doing business in Ogun state is relatively low compared to Lagos state. For instance, you could get an affordable flat (for office space) in towns such as Mowe-Ofada, Ota or even Abeokuta.
Personally, I think that Ogun state is one of the best places to create a startup hub in Nigeria as it is gradually developing and investing in – infrastructure, ICT and education – some of the key factors needed to create a startup chain reaction.
2. Enugu State
With a population estimate of about 5.6 million people (2005), Enugu state is home to Nigeria’s first indigenous university, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN).
An inland state in south-eastern Nigeria, Enugu also hosts the Enugu State University of Science & Technology (ESUT), Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu State College of Education Technical, Caritas University, Amorji-Nike, Renaissance University, Ugbawka, Our Saviour’s Institute of Science and Technology amongst other learning institutions.
Enugu had a coal industry that use to be one of the biggest employers of labour. In fact, coal was first discovered in the Udi Ridge in the 1900s, led by a British mining engineer named Albert Ernest Kitson, after which Frederick Lugard took keen interest in the discovery and by 1914, the first shipment of coal was made to Britain. Little wonder, Enugu is described as the “Coal City”.
The energy needs of the state could be made a permanent solution with the development of the coal industry and the reactivation of the Oji River Power Station located in Enugu (which used to supply electricity to all of Eastern Nigeria). Even so much so that the proximity of the Enugu coal mines to the power station is only a driving distance of about 20 minutes.
With recent investments in ICT development, infrastructure and a WiFi Internet access project embarked on by the state government with support from Zinox Technologies, Enugu state could become a great startup hub in the future.
3. Lagos State
As the commercial capital city of Nigeria with a population estimated at 18 million inhabitants and the vision to transform into a mega city by 2015, Lagos state is certainly one of the best places to create a startup hub.
No doubt, Lagos has the people – entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, consultants, technology enthusiasts, etc – who could spark up a chain reaction for technology startups in the next few years. Again, the state’s GDP as of 2007 was $33.68 billion and a per capita income of $3,649 which makes it the largest economy in Nigeria.
The University of Lagos at Akoka, Yaba is well-renowned for research and development in technology and innovation and has produced some of the best talents in Nigeria such as Fola Adeola, Dele Olojede, Richard Mofe Damijo and Matilda Kerry.
Lagos also has a well-renowned Business School (LBS), ranked among the top 55 Business Schools in the world by the Financial Times of London (2009), as well as several other institutions around the metropolis, which naturally makes it a place with a business culture.
Even though Lagos is densely populated, cities and towns such as Lekki and Badagry, surrounded by the Lagos Lagoon, bay and beaches, are gradually experiencing property and infrastructural development with expansion plans for Transport, Airport, Free Trade Zone and Golf course, which could eventually make these cities a great startup hub in the future.
Personally, I’d love to see Internet companies headquartered in the Lekki Pennisula (Lekki Bay Area, as I call it) as well as Badagry, Victoria Island and Ikoyi within the next 10-15 years.
4. Cross River State
The state of Cross River with its capital city, Calabar has been acknowledged as the leading eco-friendly tourism spot in Nigeria. With a 2005 population estimate of over 3 million inhabitants and a 2007 GDP of $9.29 billion and per capita of $3, 150, this coastal state located in southeastern Nigeria is a wonderful place to live and build a startup.
The state is home to the University of Calabar and several other institutions and is gradually transforming itself into a world tourist attraction, especially with landmarks such as the Obudu Ranch Resort, Tinapa Business Resort, Calabar Free Trade Zone and the Calabar Sea and Airports which all present great opportunities for business and trade within the region.
Besides, the Cross River State Information Technology Village in collaboration with Microsoft offers the Microsoft Unlimited Potential Programme for the South-South geo-political zone which is delivering IT training to students and inhabitants to keep pace with the technology in today’s competitive business environment.
Tinapa, the first world-class integrated business and leisure resort in Nigeria, located in Calabar with world class facilities and Free Trade Zone could become one of the biggest technology startup hubs in Africa.
5. Rivers State
Rivers State is the second largest economy in Nigeria after Lagos state with GDP of over $21 billion and per capita of $3,965, according to the 2007 CGIDD figures, particularly due to the fact that it is the chief oil-producing and refining state.
The capital city, Port Harcourt which is the main hub of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria as well as the West African sub-region, has a population estimated at 2.7 million for the Urban Area, while the Greater Port Harcourt Area is estimated at about 3.7 million, according to a 2007 population estimate.
The city is home to the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, University of Port Harcourt, an international airport, two seaports (F.O.T Onne and Port Harcourt Wharf), two stadiums (Sharks Stadium and Liberation Stadium) and two refineries.
However, the activities of several armed militants in recent times have made life and commerce in the once peaceful town a dangerous place to live and operate a business. Again, the city has a very high standard of living that could make it difficult for startups to thrive and survive, especially in their first year.
But startups that decide to move there can take advantage of the oil-rich economy and wealthy individuals who reside there, as this could help create a Venture Capital industry.
Besides, with the development of the Greater Port Harcourt which would provide economic growth poles with strong lateral linkages and exerting a positive impact on the economy and leading to a sustained increase of incomes of the New Town regions, the city could grow to become a great startup hub.
My final thoughts
Creating a startup hub in any of these cities will definitely take some time. It would start with each state government recognising the future economic benefits of creating a startup hub and harnessing its early potentials and development.
However, any individual or group of individuals that could start or build an online venture, create auto title loans, secure funding from investors or sell a percentage stake to a global or local technology company, and move to any of these cities could very well cause a sustainable chain reaction for the development of a startup hub.
By the time more and more startups move into an ideal and decent city or town, it could attract a critical mass of people and investors, thereby creating a Venture Capital industry that could drive any startup hub in Nigeria.
Personally, I would love to wake up one morning in the year 2020, tune to CNBC Africa and listen to the news that a local Internet company has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the price of the company’s stock has eventually risen 30% to $467.23 per share.
If you find this post helpful, Read my next article – “how to buy a good laptop stand for desk” I’ll be discussing five more potential startup hubs in a future post.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Thursday, July 23, 2026, provided an opportunity for financial services professionals to converge on Landmark Event Centre, Lagos, to brainstorm on ways to meet the rising customers’ expectations.
The platform used for this purpose was Core by Interswitch. It is part of the company’s broader commitment to strengthening Africa’s digital payments ecosystem by fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing and operational excellence across the financial services value chain.
At the event, participants, numbering over 400, also highlighted the growing importance of operational excellence in sustaining resilient payment infrastructure.
As digital financial services continue to expand across Africa, closer collaboration among financial institutions, fintechs and payment service providers will be essential to improving responsiveness, resolving operational challenges more effectively and delivering consistently reliable customer experiences.
The Executive Vice President for Operations and Technology at Interswitch, Mr Babafemi Ogungbamila, said the forum reflects the company’s belief that exceptional customer experiences are built not only on innovative technology but also on the expertise, collaboration and commitment of the professionals who keep payment systems running every day.
“Every successful digital transaction is powered by professionals whose work often goes unseen but is fundamental to building trust in digital payments. Core by Interswitch was created to recognise their contribution, strengthen collaboration across the industry and create opportunities for shared learning that ultimately benefit financial institutions and the customers they serve.
“As digital payments continue to evolve, investing in the people and processes that power the technology is just as important as investing in the technology itself,” Mr Ogungbamila said.
Beyond recognising the professionals whose work often goes unnoticed, the programme underscored the value of creating stronger connections across the payments ecosystem.
By creating a dedicated platform for knowledge sharing, collaboration and professional development, Core by Interswitch aims to build a more connected community of payments operations professionals equipped to respond to the evolving demands of the digital economy.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
WhatsApp has been updated with a web calling feature, allowing users to now make and receive audio and video calls, both one-on-one and group, directly from WhatsApp Web.
A notice from the Meta-owned messaging platform disclosed that this feature works without the need to download any app.
It was disclosed that this update was made to WhatsApp to make it easier for users to make calls wherever they are and on whatever device, phone or laptop.
Users will have access to features available on their other devices, including screen sharing, reactions, and a dedicated Calls tab with full call history and favourites, all from their browsers.
WhatsApp noted that calls from this feature are end-to-end encrypted, with no time limits and at no cost, as it is the same private experience they expect from the platform.
WhatsApp has also been embedded with easy call transfer, enabling the movement of an active group call from one device to another without hanging up. Users can seamlessly transfer calls to WhatsApp Web or Desktop when they arrive home to collaborate on a larger screen – or vice versa.
The platform further said it now has QuickHD, which allows for an improved video experience at the beginning of a call. With QuickHD, users can now enjoy high-definition video immediately in the very first few seconds of the call.
In addition, it has launched noise suppression to remove the background noise around callers so their voices come through clearly to the person on the other end, even in loud or busy environments. This can be managed at any time in in-call settings.
WhatsApp said these features are rolling out gradually and will be available to everyone soon, expressing its desire to make WhatsApp calling simpler to use.
Modded Minecraft worlds take weeks to build. Custom biomes, terraformed landscapes, established bases — losing any of it to a corrupted chunk or a failed update is devastating. Backups aren’t optional for modded servers. They’re essential.
Modded hosting with reliable backups protects everything players have built across every minecraft biome types the pack introduces — without requiring manual backup routines that nobody remembers to run.
Why Modded Worlds Are More Vulnerable to Data Loss
Vanilla Minecraft worlds are relatively stable. Modded worlds have more ways to break. Mod updates can corrupt chunk data if block IDs change. Crashes during chunk generation leave partial files. Automated farms that run while no players are online can cause chunk-level issues over time.
Biomes added by mods require extra care. Changing biome mods later can cause unexpected problems. If the old biome data no longer exists, Minecraft may not know how to read parts of the world anymore. The Minecraft Wiki explains that every generated chunk keeps its own biome information in the save. Modded biomes require their mod to be present to load correctly — removing the mod without migrating chunks first causes permanent data loss in those areas.
Minecraft Biome Types: What Mods Add
People often focus on giant mountains or rare structures, but smaller biome changes matter too. A carefully designed minecraft grass biome can completely change the appearance of an entire region. Once that combines with improved forests, rivers, and mountain generation, exploration naturally takes longer because there’s almost always another interesting place nearby. There’s a massive difference once biome mods are installed. Biomes O’ Plenty alone adds over 80 biomes. Terralith adds another 95 plus, although it still builds worlds using Minecraft’s regular generation system rather than a custom one. Oh The Biomes You’ll Go adds tropical and fantasy biomes not found in either.
Each of these creates a richer world to explore — and more unique terrain to protect. A player who spends two sessions exploring and settling in a modded cherry blossom grove loses something irreplaceable if that chunk gets corrupted without a backup.
Content creator and modpack player Noxite has described modded biome exploration as one of the most memorable experiences in the game — “every new biome feels like discovering a location that exists only in your world.” Backups protect that discovery.
Many players only start thinking about backups after something goes wrong. It’s surprisingly easy for a modded world to develop problems. Maybe the server restarts halfway through chunk generation, or a mod update changes world data in a way the old save no longer understands. Even experienced server owners don’t get through every update without issues. Sometimes everything looks fine until someone explores a new biome and discovers broken chunks. At that point, having a recent backup is usually the simplest solution instead of trying to repair damaged terrain piece by piece.
What a Reliable Backup System Looks Like for Modded Servers
For modded worlds, backup requirements go beyond vanilla minimums:
- Daily automated backups — at minimum; hourly for active community servers
- Full world backups — not just player data; entire world folder including all dimensions
- Pre-update snapshots — automatic backup triggered before any mod or server update
- Offsite storage — backups stored separately from the server to survive hardware failure
- Easy restoration — one-click restore to a specific backup without technical support
Protecting Every Biome You’ve Explored
Minecraft biomes wiki entries for modded biomes often include notes about save compatibility across versions. The community’s experience is consistent: mod updates break worlds more often than player actions do. Regular backups are the only reliable protection.
Choose modded hosting with reliable backups that runs automatically, stores multiple restore points, and makes restoration simple. The time investment in setting up proper backups is always less than the time lost rebuilding after a preventable data loss event.
