The Head of Policy and Compliance at Itana, Nella Andem-Ewa, has outlined strategies that will lead to the creation of 100,000 jobs for Nigerians under the partnership agreement recently signed with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
Speaking in an interview with Nairametrics, Andem-Ewa said the jobs will be driven by a combination of ecosystem-building, policy support, and direct startup incubation.
According to her, one of the key initiatives is Accelerate Africa, a joint accelerator program between Itana and Future Africa, which has already begun nurturing early-stage startups with funding, mentorship, and access to market opportunities.
“Through programs like this, Itana plans to incubate over 100 startups, many of which are expected to generate employment across the digital value chain from developers and designers to customer service and marketing professionals,” she said.
Beyond incubation, Andem-Ewa said the company is also developing a physical innovation district in Alaro City (Lekki Free Zone corridor), backed by a $100 million commitment from the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).
Government’s role
According to Andem-Ewa, the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment is playing a dual role in the partnership: driving policy reforms and ensuring agency-level coordination across sectors.
“The government’s role is to ensure that enabling policies are not just created but implemented in tandem with innovation.
“We are providing real-time ecosystem feedback to guide policy development that attracts investment, facilitates trade, and unlocks job opportunities,” she said.
- Through the Ministry’s special purpose vehicle, the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP) and other government vehicles, the Ministry is also facilitating regional partnerships to connect Nigeria’s emerging digital workforce to global talent markets.
- For example, the partnership aims to leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to enable cross-border digital trade and services exports.
Target sectors
While tech remains a core focus, Andem-Ewa said the job creation strategy also extends to broader service-based and knowledge-driven sectors, including finance, healthcare, digital education, and creative services.
“We’re shifting from a model built on heavy industry to one that supports emerging, high-growth industries.
“It’s not just about coding jobs; it’s about enabling a full spectrum of digital and service-based roles that can be performed remotely or within digitally-enabled environments,” Andem-Ewa said.
With the Itana model, the partnership aims to set a new standard for smart, inclusive growth in Nigeria. Its KPIs go beyond job numbers to include startup growth, cross-border trade volumes, and Nigeria’s ranking as a destination for digital business.
“We want to become the prototype for digital trade zones across Africa. The success of this partnership will not only be measured by the number of jobs we create, but also by the quality of businesses we attract and the global opportunities we open up for Nigerian talent,” she added.
What you should know
Last month, the government relaunched NATEP to tap into the $1 trillion global outsourcing industry by positioning Nigeria’s youth as a world-class talent pool for digital and professional services.
- To mark the relaunch, the Minister led a high-level delegation on an official visit to Alaro City, home to Itana, Nigeria’s first Digital Special Economic Zone.
- The Minister also leveraged the visit to execute a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening public-private sector collaboration and showcasing the infrastructure and innovation ecosystem that will support the program’s success.
- Itana, licensed by the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), provides a fully digital Special Economic Zone (SEZ) infrastructure that allows startups and service companies to incorporate, access banking and tax services, and scale their operations remotely across Africa.
