Innovative project management as a catalyst for youth-led innovation in Nigeria’s emerging tech ecosystem

Nigeria’s technology ecosystem has expanded rapidly in recent years, with young digital innovators driving digital startups across diverse sectors. Government initiatives such as compulsory entrepreneurship education in tertiary institutions and recent digital skills programs like the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) have created an enabling environment for these innovations to thrive. Despite the visibly massive potential, many ventures continue to experience high failure rates due to operational nuisances such as poor planning, weak project execution, and misaligned strategies. To address this gap, the concept paper argues how innovative project management practices such as Agile combined with emerging technologies can serve as a catalyst for enhancing innovation and improving the survival and scalability of youth-led startups in Nigeria. The paper further shows how with the integration of flexible frameworks with digital tools, startups can streamline workflows, prioritize business objectives, improve resource allocation, manage risks more effectively, enhance stakeholder collaboration and ultimately lead to better decision making. The study proposes a practical framework that emphasizes continuous learning, digital upskilling, and cross-sector collaboration to address common startup challenges. Expected outcomes include improved project delivery times, cost efficiency, higher quality outputs, and stronger stakeholder satisfaction. The paper concludes that embedding project management best practices into youth-driven innovation is critical for strengthening Nigeria’s digital ecosystem and advancing inclusive economic growth.