Tunde Onakoya Launches First Chess Innovation Hub to Nurture Young Talent

In a significant step towards nurturing young talent in Nigeria, Tunde Onakoya, the founder of Chess In Slums, has officially launched the first Chess Innovation Hub in Lagos, made possible through a partnership with Lufthansa and Help Alliance. This pioneering initiative aims to provide children with the resources they need to develop their full potential, fostering creativity and intellectual growth through innovative educational programmes.

Sharing this exciting news, Tunde Onakoya said, “I have always believed that every child, no matter their background, deserves the opportunity to develop their full potential. This hub will be a sanctuary where dreams are nurtured and where we’ll inspire children to have faith in their own ideas.”

Tunde highlighted that this initiative aims to reimagine education for children who may have fallen through the cracks of society, helping them unlock their creativity and intellectual potential. The focus will be on creating innovative programmes in Coding, Robotics, AI/Machine Learning, advanced chess training, and a book reading club.

Emphasising his belief that every child, regardless of their background, deserves an opportunity to thrive, the hub will be freely accessible to children in Makoko and homeless children in the Yaba, Ebute Metta, and Surulere areas.

“This is only the beginning. Our aim is to establish a Chess Innovation Hub in every community across Africa, focusing on talent development for the future of work,” Tunde shared on his grand vision for the future.

See photos from the launch below