Mohammed Ibrahim Jega

Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim Jega is an accomplished technology entrepreneur, business development specialist and innovation ecosystem advocate with over two decades of professional experience spanning financial technology, blockchain, digital transformation and entrepreneurship development. He is the Founder of Startup Arewa, a technology innovation and entrepreneurship development initiative dedicated to strengthening Northern Nigeria's technology ecosystem and expanding opportunities for young entrepreneurs.
His professional career spans business development, project management, technology consulting and digital financial services. He founded Ibromomo Concept, a technology consulting firm focused on helping businesses adopt web-based technologies, and subsequently co-founded Emerge Tech Africa, an information and communications technology consulting company. He also served as Head of Business Development for Africa at VoguePay, a Nigerian financial technology company providing electronic payment processing solutions to businesses across international markets.
In 2016, Mr. Jega established Startup Arewa to address the limited access to technology infrastructure, investment opportunities and entrepreneurial support available to young innovators in Northern Nigeria. The initiative was designed to connect technology entrepreneurs, investors, mentors and innovation hubs across the region's 19 states. Under his leadership, Startup Arewa has organised technology boot camps, hackathons, startup mentoring programmes and innovation summits aimed at developing digital skills and supporting early-stage technology enterprises.
Through Startup Arewa, he has facilitated partnerships with government institutions, private sector organisations and development partners, including the Bank of Industry and Coders for Africa. The initiative has supported entrepreneurship development across Northern Nigeria, providing platforms for young technology professionals to acquire skills, develop business ideas and access mentorship. In 2021, Startup Arewa collaborated with the Financial Services Innovators (FSI) and Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFInA) on the Arewa Femtech Fest Hackathon, which encouraged the development of financial technology solutions for female entrepreneurs and small businesses in Northern Nigeria.
Beyond Startup Arewa, Mr. Jega co-founded Domineum Blockchain Solutions, a technology company developing blockchain-based infrastructure and distributed ledger solutions for government institutions and enterprises. His work at Domineum has focused on promoting the adoption of blockchain technology for secure record management, digital transactions and institutional transparency. In March 2022, he was appointed a BSV Blockchain Ambassador for West and East Africa, supporting technology awareness and blockchain education across the continent.
His professional affiliations have included serving as a Director of the Founder Institute, an international startup accelerator, and as Nigeria's International Partner to the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF). He has also served on the boards and advisory bodies of Young Innovators Nigeria, Agritech Hub Nigeria, Cyber Security Challenge Nigeria and the Nigeria Association of Computing Students, supporting entrepreneurship, technology education and professional capacity development.
Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim Jega continues to advocate for inclusive technology development, digital entrepreneurship and the expansion of innovation opportunities across Northern Nigeria. Through Startup Arewa and his involvement in financial technology and blockchain enterprises, he contributes to efforts to strengthen Africa's technology ecosystem and develop the next generation of entrepreneurs.