Temi Kolawole has described the IIH Demo Day 1.0, held at the Ilorin Innovation Hub, as a defining moment for Nigeria’s emerging technology ecosystem, highlighting growing confidence in regional innovation capacity.
The event, themed “The Convergence,” featured presentations from 19 startups drawn from two key programmes: nine from the IIH Accelerator, supported by Accelerate Africa, and ten from the IIH Incubator delivered in partnership with Co-creation HUB (CcHUB).
Kolawole noted that the showcase reinforced the belief that with the right structure, mentorship, and institutional support, world-class innovation can emerge from any location, including secondary tech hubs outside Nigeria’s traditional startup centres.
He credited the success of the programme to strong collaboration with the Kwara State Government and IHS Nigeria, describing their support as instrumental in transforming the vision of a thriving innovation ecosystem into a tangible reality.
According to him, the event demonstrated that innovation is no longer confined by geography, as startups from across Nigeria and beyond gathered both physically and virtually to participate in the showcase.
He added that the growing momentum positions Kwara State as an emerging technology destination, emphasizing that the development of its innovation ecosystem is still in its early stages but rapidly evolving.
Kolawole concluded that the demo day marked only the beginning of a broader journey to strengthen entrepreneurship, support startups, and build a sustainable tech ecosystem in the region.