The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has unveiled a new Innovation Space at its Abuja headquarters alongside a Smart ID solution, in a move aimed at transforming over 700 corps members.

Unveiled in Abuja, the initiative is providing a collaborative environment where members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and IT students are ideating, building and scaling solutions to national challenges. The programme aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which is prioritising job creation, youth empowerment and digital inclusion as pillars of economic growth, according to the government tech agency.

At the centre of the rollout is the Smart ID, a digital identity solution enabling centralised and secure access to personal and business information via Near Field Communication (NFC) and QR code technologies. The platform is expected to streamline identity verification and improve how individuals and organisations exchange data across formal and informal ecosystems.

 

 

According to NITDA, the Innovation Space is functioning as a space for the more than 700 corps members engaged annually by NITDA, providing access to training, mentorship and a testbed for product development. The facility is bridging the gap between theoretical learning and practical application, enabling participants to transition from skill acquisition to enterprise creation.

 

Smart ID offers digital identity solution for corp members, NITDA says

NITDA is also introducing the COPA App, an NYSC Information Management System designed to strengthen the coordination of corps members’ activities. The platform is enhancing deployment processes, enabling real-time monitoring of engagements and streamlining administrative workflows, reflecting a broader government push towards end-to-end digitalisation of public sector operations.

Speaking at the unveiling, Kashifu Inuwa, NITDA Director-General, says the initiative is positioning young Nigerians to take ownership of their careers in a labour market increasingly shaped by emerging technologies.

He is urging corps members to improve their professional visibility, actively promote their skills and convert knowledge into deployable solutions that address real-world challenges. According to him, corps members currently serving at NITDA have already developed artificial intelligence-driven tools supporting the agency’s AI transformation agenda, with some solutions nearing deployment within the agency and across the country through the NYSC network.

According to NITDA, the Innovation Space is functioning as a space for the more than 700 corps members engaged annually by NITDA, providing access to training, mentorship and a testbed for product development. The facility is bridging the gap between theoretical learning and practical application, enabling participants to transition from skill acquisition to enterprise creation.

“Before you finish NYSC, you can either build your business using NITDA to promote your product, or do something outstanding and join us,” Inuwa says.

The Director-General of NYSC commended the initiative, describing corps members as solution providers capable of contributing meaningfully to national development. He is calling on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to leverage the growing pool of digital talent within the scheme, while also proposing the establishment of an NYSC innovation hub to deepen collaboration and co-create solutions to national challenges.

Beyond immediate benefits to corps members, the initiative is signalling a broader policy shift positioning national service as a platform for innovation and economic participation. By integrating digital skills development, mentorship and enterprise support within a unified framework, NITDA is building a pipeline that connects young talent to opportunities in Nigeria’s expanding digital economy.

The agency says it is working closely with the NYSC to scale the model nationwide, with plans to replicate the Innovation Space across multiple locations. The expansion is expected to decentralise access to innovation infrastructure and widen participation in technology-driven development.

NITDA adds that the initiative aligns with its strategic priorities around digital literacy, talent development, innovation and enterprise support, while reinforcing efforts to build a sustainable ecosystem where ideas evolve into impactful solutions and scalable businesses.

The threat followed a deadlock in negotiations between the government and the union on Friday, after an earlier 48-hour ultimatum was issued to the government via a letter to the Head of Service on Thursday.

Attempts to salvage the situation prompted the meeting on Friday between both parties, which “ended in deadlock”.

Addressing journalists on Saturday, JUPTI Chairman, Comrade Yohanna Igyem, vowed that they will embark on the strike, saying they have been patient with the government over their obligatory demands which it has failed to meet.

“The contending issues dated back since 2024 without fruitful resolutions. The key issues are the non-implementation of 25% and 35% salary increment for staff of tertiary institutions, the non-domestication of Polytechnic Act, 2029, the non-release of employment letters at College of Agriculture Garkawa and College of Arts Sciences and Technology (CAST) Kurgwi, among other issues.

“We issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Head of Service on the 9th January, 2026, and government invited the union for a meeting without fruitful results.

“The union, again decided to issues a 7-day ultimatum to the government dated 6th March, 2026 and the government invited union for a meeting and pleaded for extension of time to enable it conclude negotiations with the Union.”

“After a month, government therefore, invited the union for meeting scheduled for Thursday, 16th April, 2026 and later rescheduled the meeting to 21st April, 2026 and was suddenly postponed indefinitely without a new date.

“JUPTI at its emergency meeting held on Thursday, 23rd April, 2026 issues a 48-hour ultimatum with effect from Friday, 24th April, 2026 to Monday, 27th April, 2026 midnight to address all the outstanding demands of the Union and failure to do so, the Union will be left with no other option but rather to proceed on an indefinite strike without further notice,” he said.