Lagos/Abuja — Nigerian fintech company Moniepoint Inc. has unveiled a ₦3 billion investment plan to establish innovation hubs across three major Nigerian universities, in what is being described as a significant private-sector intervention in technology education and talent development.
The investment, scheduled to run over the next three years, will fund the development of modern innovation centres at:
Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU)
University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN)
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU)
According to the company, the hubs will focus on high-demand STEM fields including software engineering, data science, artificial intelligence, robotics, product development, and entrepreneurship.
The programme will be open to students from all academic disciplines and will emphasise hands-on, cohort-based training designed to bridge the gap between university education and industry-ready technical skills.
Moniepoint said participants will benefit from:
Practical technical training
Mentorship opportunities
Real-world projects
Industry exposure
Direct career pathways into Nigeria’s technology ecosystem
The company noted that engineers and technical experts within Moniepoint will contribute directly to curriculum development to ensure alignment with current industry demands.
Analysts say the initiative directly addresses one of Nigeria’s biggest structural challenges — the growing disconnect between university graduates and the level of technical competence increasingly required within the digital economy.
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Tosin Eniolorunda said the investment reflects the company’s belief that Nigeria’s technology future depends on deliberate investment in education and talent development.
“Nigeria’s digital economy cannot run on potential alone,” he said.
Observers say the initiative also highlights the increasing role private-sector technology firms are beginning to play in strengthening educational infrastructure and long-term human capital development in Nigeria.
The development has drawn praise from education and technology stakeholders, many of whom view the project as a potentially transformative investment in the next generation of Nigerian innovators, engineers, and entrepreneurs.