Digital development from Northern Nigeria, since 2012

Built in Northern Nigeria.Proven at scale.

DD Hub is a social impact organisation improving livelihoods and empowering communities where technology, enterprise and development meet. Since 2012 we have trained more than 15,000 people, incubated and deployed Northern Nigeria’s digital talent, and delivered across skills, innovation, agriculture and civic technology with the World Bank, GIZ and AfDB.

See our work

Innovation Readiness Score

Where is your venture today?

Ten questions, about two minutes. A diagnostic, not a gate.

Question 1 of 10Formalisation

Is your business formally registered (CAC or equivalent)?

Not sure where to start? Talk to a human.

Advancing 8 Global Goals
  • SDG 2: Zero Hunger
  • SDG 4: Quality Education
  • SDG 5: Gender Equality
  • SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth
  • SDG 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure
  • SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
  • SDG 16: Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions
  • SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
AnnouncementNov 2026DD Hub registers on the EU Funding & Tenders PortalNewsNov 2026Introducing DD Hub AcademyUpcomingComing upInnovation Platforms being prepared for launch in KanoProjectOct 2026Kano farmer-data consultancy completedNewsSept 202697.1% of IDEAS TVET graduates economically active at completionProjectJan 2026Tech Bridge Fellowship closes with Demo DayNewsNov 2025DD Hub's CEO chairs the ISN Annual Gathering 2025 Organising CommitteeDocumentPDFImpact Report 2014–2026DocumentPDFIDEAS TVET Impact ReportDocumentPDFCorporate ProfileDocumentPDFExecutive Summary
All updates

Proof, with sources

Numbers you can check.Every figure, traced to its source.

Read the Impact Report

  • 0+

    Young people trained since 2012

    Institutional record
    + Source

    DD Hub institutional records, Corporate Profile and Impact Report 2014–2026

  • 0.0%

    IDEAS TVET graduates economically active at completion

    Documented
    + Source

    102 of 105 graduates. DD Hub graduate outcome survey, IDEAS TVET Impact Report 2026

  • ~0

    Farmer records harmonised into one dataset

    Documented
    + Source

    Kano SAPZ farmer-data harmonisation, completed October 2026

  • 0

    Tech Bridge ventures selected for incubation

    Publicly reported
    + Source

    Tech Bridge Fellowship Demo Day, January 2026. 200 youth, women and PWDs trained.

Choose your path

One hub.Your next move.

No hunting through an organisation chart. Tell us who you are and we’ll take you straight to what matters.

What we do

Eight services. One institution.

Whichever one you need, it comes with the same decade of delivery behind it.

Not sure which? Talk to us
  • Development Consultancy

    Proposal development, programme design, research, policy dialogues, M&E, environmental impact assessments and PPP transaction advisory for donor-funded and public programmes.

    Advances
    • SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
    • SDG 16: Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions
    • SDG 2: Zero Hunger
    Learn moreBook this
  • DD Hub Academy (Training)

    Market-relevant courses at affordable prices, with the six-month Digital Talent Academy inside it.

    Advances
    • SDG 4: Quality Education
    • SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth
    • SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
    Learn moreBook this
  • Incubation

    Mentorship, workspace and market access for early-stage ventures, screened through the Readiness Score.

    Advances
    • SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth
    • SDG 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure
    Learn moreBook this
  • Entrepreneurship & Business Support

    Practical support for MSMEs to formalise, go digital and grow.

    Advances
    • SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth
    • SDG 5: Gender Equality
    Learn moreBook this
  • Data Hub & Automation Services

    Data harmonisation, digital systems and automation, like the 36,000-record Kano farmer dataset.

    Advances
    • SDG 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure
    • SDG 2: Zero Hunger
    Learn moreBook this
  • Social Impact

    Programmes for youth, women and PWDs, part-funded by the Impact Fund.

    Advances
    • SDG 5: Gender Equality
    • SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
    • SDG 16: Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions
    Learn moreBook this
  • Talent Outsourcing

    Trained digital talent from our programmes, placed with partner teams.

    Advances
    • SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth
    • SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
    Learn moreBook this
  • Co-working Space

    Desk space in Kano for founders and remote teams.

    Advances
    • SDG 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure
    • SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
    Learn moreBook this

Our focus · The Global Goals

Eight services.Eight Global Goals.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals shape what we build, who we build it for and how we report it. We design and deliver our work against eight of them, so partners can see the goal their support moves forward.

Fund a goal with us
24589101617

  • Digital inclusion

    Digital skills, tools and access for people the digital economy leaves out.

    • SDG 4: Quality Education
    • SDG 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure
    • SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  • Zero hunger

    Data and digital tools that help farmers produce more and reach markets.

    • SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  • Decent employment

    Training that ends in a job, a gig, a placement or a business.

    • SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth

  • Improved livelihoods

    Steadier, higher incomes for young people, farmers and small businesses.

    • SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth
    • SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  • PWD and women inclusion

    Programmes designed with and for persons with disabilities and women.

    • SDG 5: Gender Equality
    • SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
  • SDG2

    Zero Hunger

    Digital agriculture that helps smallholder farmers grow more and sell better.

    500 farmers on GIZ Innovation Platforms · ~36,000 farmer records harmonised

  • SDG4

    Quality Education

    Market-relevant digital and technical skills through DD Hub Academy and TVET programmes.

    15,000+ young people trained since 2012

  • SDG5

    Gender Equality

    Programmes designed with and for women, from digital skills to enterprise.

    Tech Bridge Fellowship for youth, women and PWDs · 19 of 35 DBOT entrepreneurs were women

  • SDG8

    Decent Work & Economic Growth

    Skills that turn into income: jobs, gigs, placements and new businesses.

    97.1% of IDEAS TVET graduates economically active at completion

  • SDG9

    Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure

    An innovation hub in Kano, with incubation, data systems and automation.

    15+ startups incubated · 40 Tech Bridge ventures selected

  • SDG10

    Reduced Inequalities

    Reaching persons with disabilities and underserved Northern youth first.

    Social Impact programmes part-funded by the Impact Fund

  • SDG16

    Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions

    Civic technology and youth-led work for peace, since our first civic-tech grant in 2012.

    Kaduna Peace Connect for the State Peace Commission · Peace Promoters Fellowship

  • SDG17

    Partnerships for the Goals

    A delivery partner for development banks, governments, NGOs and companies.

    Delivered with the World Bank, GIZ, AfDB, FCDO, Kano State and more

The Sustainable Development Goals are set by the United Nations. We show them to explain our focus; this is not a UN endorsement of DD Hub.

DD Hub, Decapolis and NASENI representatives on site at a NASENI development institute, beside the institute's master-plan banner, 2022
On site · NASENI × Decapolis · 2022

Systems, not slides

We don’t just advise on digital transformation.We build the system.

In 2022, DD Hub partnered with NASENI and Decapolis of Jordan on IoT and blockchain-enabled food traceability technology, built to reduce post-harvest loss and support export quality.

  • IoT
  • Blockchain
  • Agriculture
  • Cross-border delivery
Discuss a systems build Read the case study

Current and recent work

On the ground in Kano.And across the North.

All projects & impact

01 / 05

  • Kano State

    Digital Transformation for Smallholder Farmers

    Innovation Platforms in local communities bring smallholder farmers, extension agents and researchers together with input suppliers, aggregators, financial institutions and insurers, using innovation to raise productivity. The project promotes smart, nutrition-sensitive and climate-resilient farming among 500 farmers.

    Global Goals
    • SDG 2: Zero Hunger
    • SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth
    • SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

    Backed by

    Implemented by GIZ with DD Hub. Funded by BMZ, the European Union and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

  • Northern NigeriaCompleted delivery

    IDEAS TVET: Creative Media Production

    A six-month, competency-based creative media programme for 105 young people, January to July 2026. 97.1% of graduates (102 of 105) were economically active at completion, and the National Project Coordination Unit reviewed the results.

    Global Goals
    • SDG 4: Quality Education
    • SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth
    • SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

    Backed by

    Supported by the World Bank and the Federal Ministry of Education.

  • Kano StateCompleted October 2026

    Farmer-data harmonisation

    Merged, de-duplicated and validated farmer-profiling surveys, value-chain data and 2025 groundnut and rice yield records into one harmonised master dataset of about 36,000 records.

    Global Goals
    • SDG 2: Zero Hunger
    • SDG 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure

    Backed by

    Kano SAPZ programme.

  • Port Harcourt, Rivers StateEIA & PPP advisory

    Trans Amadi Micro Agro-Industrial Park

    Environmental Impact Assessment for upgrading the Trans Amadi slaughter market into a Micro Agro-Industrial Park: livestock ranches, a modern automated abattoir, agro-stock shops, warehousing, cold rooms, an open livestock market and processing industries. DD Hub also served as transaction business adviser for the PPP, engaging the ICRC.

    Global Goals
    • SDG 2: Zero Hunger
    • SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth
    • SDG 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure
    • SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

    Backed by

    For a consortium of Lexxgems Integrated Limited (concessionaire) and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

  • KanoLaunching

    DD Hub Academy

    Our training arm: market-relevant courses at affordable prices, alongside our social-impact training. The six-month Digital Talent Academy continues as a programme within it.

    Global Goals
    • SDG 4: Quality Education
    • SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth

    Backed by

    Funded by course fees, with part of net commercial profit going to the Impact Fund.

DD Hub team members in Kano reviewing work together, smiling
The people behind the numbers: the DD Hub team in Kano.

The outcome test

Does it improvea real livelihood?

Every tool we build or teach is held to the same standard. Certificates matter less than what changes after them.

  1. A farmer threshing harvested grain into a wooden trough while a photographer documents the work01AgricultureBetter market access. Less post-harvest loss.
  2. Schoolgirls in white and blue uniforms walking into a classroom02EducationSkills that lead to paid work or enterprise.
  3. Traders at a market stall stacked with sacks of grain and groundnuts03EntrepreneurshipVentures that create further jobs.
  4. A farmer in traditional dress standing in a green rice field holding a hoe04SustainabilityLess waste between production and income.

Impact story

Fourteen years, built one step at a time.

  1. 2012First engagement: a civic-technology subgrant
  2. 2014Major operations and projects begin in Kano
  3. 2016Registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (RC 1350529)
  4. 2026DD Hub Academy launches, and a deliberate move toward commercial self-sustainability

Tech Bridge Fellowship, January 2026

A three-month, hands-on technology TVET programme for youth, women and people with disabilities. It closed with a Demo Day of capstone ventures.

See the full track record
Trained
200
Selected for incubation
40

20% of trainees went on to incubation.

Our operating edge

At home in the placesothers find hard.

North West Nigeria is home, with our head office in Kano. North East Nigeria is where our development-partner record runs deepest. Abuja and Lagos anchor our commercial reach, and a 2022 partnership with Decapolis of Jordan was our first step across Nigeria’s borders.

Kano
Head office, North West
North East
Extended reach
Abuja
Commercial reach
Lagos
Commercial reach
Jordan
First cross-border partnership

Testimonials · 7 voices

Real people.Real change.

In their own words: graduates, alumni and partners on the work and what changed.

  • Partner voice
    The IDEAS TVET project component, delivered by Digital Development Hub, reflects exactly the kind of outcome the IDEAS Project was designed to achieve: young Nigerians moving from limited digital exposure to income-generating, industry-relevant skills within a single competency-based cycle. The programme's results speak for themselves.
    Mrs. Blessing OgwuNational Project Coordinator, IDEAS ProjectSource: IDEAS TVET Impact Report, 2026
  • Graduate voice
    What captivated me was my area of specialization — creating AI videos. I created a TikTok account and, in under a month, gained over 26,000 followers and 176,000 likes. I'm now eyeing commercialization of the account and focusing on content for entrepreneurs and startups.
    Fatima Muhammad UsmanGraduate, AI Video Content Creation gig trackSource: IDEAS TVET Impact Report, 2026
  • Graduate voice
    This project has been highly transformative for me. Within six months, I've come away with a functional marketing company that earns me a living. This is huge for me — the experience meant the world.
    Vivian AmengerGraduate, Enterprise Development gig trackSource: IDEAS TVET Impact Report, 2026
  • Graduate voice
    Before this transformational journey, we used our phones only for calls and other unproductive things. Now I've learned how to create advertorial content, deploy it on social media, generate followers, convert them to customers, and retain them for greater income.
    Zaliha Sani TahirGraduate, Creative Media ProductionSource: IDEAS TVET Impact Report, 2026
  • Graduate voice
    Through my journey under the DD Hub programme, I gained experience I never imagined having. I am now satisfied with my status as an economically competitive youth, ready to face the market with the skills I've earned.
    Jafar Isah JafarGraduate, Creative Media ProductionSource: IDEAS TVET Impact Report, 2026
  • Graduate voice
    I'm grateful to DD Hub and the Nigerian government. This project is one of the best uses of my time, and its future impact on my life will be transformative.
    Stephen AnyamGraduate, Creative Media ProductionSource: IDEAS TVET Impact Report, 2026
  • Alumni voice
    I joined Digital Development Hub in 2018 during a tech bootcamp that transformed my path. With their mentorship and training, I gained digital skills, confidence, and income opportunities. Today, I'm proud to be one of many success stories shaped by DD Hub's impact.
    Faydah YahyaYoung businesswoman and techpreneur

Pictures & stories

Stories of impactand innovation.

All news & stories
A large crowd of women and children in colourful dress gathered outside a building

Be part ofthe movement.

Work with us to scale impact and open new opportunities. Together, we can deliver innovation and empower more communities across Northern Nigeria.

Partner with us Support our work

Guides & resources

Find what you need in two clicks.

Format

9 of 9 resources

FAQs · 8 answers

Questions,answered.

Got a question about DD Hub? Here are some quick answers.

Have more questions?

A person on our team reads every message.

Contact us WhatsApp us
  • What is DD Hub?

    Digital Development Hub (DD Hub) is an innovation and capacity-building centre in Kano. We use technology and creativity to build skills, support startups and strengthen communities, with a focus on young people, women and persons with disabilities.

  • Who can join your programmes?

    Young people, women, persons with disabilities, founders and small businesses. Each programme sets its own eligibility, so check the call or course page before applying.

  • How do I apply for a programme?

    Founders apply for incubation through our application form. DD Hub Academy publishes its course intakes as they open. If you're not sure which fits, take the Readiness Score or talk to us first.

  • Do you only operate in Kano?

    No. Our head office is in Kano and North West Nigeria is home, but our development-partner record runs deepest in North East Nigeria. Abuja and Lagos anchor our commercial reach, and in 2022 we partnered with Decapolis of Jordan.

  • How can I partner with DD Hub?

    Donors, government agencies, NGOs, investors and companies each have their own route on our Get in touch page. Pick yours and the right team will reply within two working days.

  • Is there a cost to participate?

    It depends on the programme. Social-impact training is funded by partners. DD Hub Academy courses are fee-based at affordable prices, and part of net commercial profit goes to our Impact Fund.

  • How is DD Hub funded?

    Through programmes delivered with partners such as the World Bank, GIZ and AfDB, through fee-for-service work, and through DD Hub Academy course fees. We are deliberately moving toward commercial self-sustainability from 2026.

  • Which Sustainable Development Goals do you work towards?

    Eight of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: 2 Zero Hunger, 4 Quality Education, 5 Gender Equality, 8 Decent Work, 9 Industry and Innovation, 10 Reduced Inequalities, 16 Peace and Strong Institutions, and 17 Partnerships. Our focus areas are digital inclusion, zero hunger, decent employment, improved livelihoods, and inclusion of persons with disabilities and women.

Delivered with

  • The World Bank
  • Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
  • GIZ Digital Transformation Center (GIZ Digital Transformation Center (DTC))
  • African Development Bank
  • UK DFID (now FCDO) (UK DFID, now the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
  • National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure
  • National Information Technology Development Agency
  • International Fertilizer Development Center
  • Innovation Support Network (Innovation Support Network (ISN))
  • CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
  • Kano State Government (Kano State Government)
  • Kano State Ministry of Science & Technology (Kano State Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation)
  • Kaduna State Peace Commission
  • Federal Ministry of Education (Federal Ministry of Education, Nigeria)
  • NBTE (National Board for Technical Education)
  • Bayero University Kano (Bayero University Kano (BUK))
  • AfriLabs (AfriLabs)
  • Internet Governance Forum (IGF)

18 partners

Named organisations reflect documented delivery or partnership history. They are not presented as current endorsements.

Tell us what you need.

Pick the path that fits. We route every enquiry to the right person within two working days.

No wrong door. No generic inbox loop.

Get in touchTalk to a human
Young people talking and laughing around a table at an outdoor community event
Photo: Shina Memud / Unsplash

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