Labspace Innovation Hub has identified four people who lost their lives in a fatal road accident in Niger State, highlighting their contributions to technology, entrepreneurship, education and youth development across Northern Nigeria.
The organisation said the deceased were not merely students, as some initial media reports suggested, but professionals and active contributors to the state’s growing technology and innovation ecosystem.
In a statement issued on Thursday, October 29, 2026, Labspace described the victims as technology entrepreneurs, programme coordinators, educators and professionals whose work had positively impacted young people, startups and innovation initiatives.
The deceased were identified as Nafisat Abubakar Aguye, Hub Manager of Labspace Innovation Hub; Ibrahim Ado Bayero, a supporting staff member and Personal Assistant to the hub’s co-founder; Emmanuel Olumide Fayomi, Co-Founder of SchoolSQL and technology entrepreneur; and George-Junior Alainengiya, a former intern and lead instructor at the Labspace Kids Summer Camp 2026.
According to the organisation, the four were travelling to the Federal University of Technology, Minna, to conduct a sensitisation programme for the Young Africa Innovates (YAI) Programme when the accident occurred.
The initiative, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Mastercard Foundation, is being implemented in Niger State by Labspace Innovation Hub.
Nafisat Abubakar Aguye served as the Hub Manager of Labspace Innovation Hub from 2023 until her death.
During her time with the organisation, she coordinated several entrepreneurship, technology education and youth development initiatives across Niger State.
She played significant roles in programmes such as iHatch, TechXpreneur, iDICE Startup Bridge and Girls in ICT, helping startups and young innovators gain opportunities at state and national levels.
She also coordinated three editions of TechXpreneur, an initiative aimed at supporting women in technology entrepreneurship, and supervised Niger State’s participation in the Girls in ICT programme on three occasions.
In one of the editions, Niger State emerged first in the North-Central zone.
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Aguye was a co-founder of Wosh Mart Services alongside Emmanuel Olumide Fayomi.
Labspace disclosed that she had recently secured admission for a professional master’s programme in Financial Technology and Blockchain at the International Centre for Emerging Technology, FUT Minna.
Related News:
Four Die in Crash Involving Niger Governor’s Convoy
Seven Killed, Seven Injured in Niger Road Crash
She was remembered as a kind-hearted and dedicated professional who made significant contributions to the organisation and its wider community.
Ibrahim Ado Bayero joined Labspace through the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) and continued working with the organisation after completing his fellowship.
He was a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, where he obtained both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Before his death, he served as Personal Assistant to Labspace co-founder, Abdulkadir Suleiman Lapai, in Minna.
He also contributed to digital transformation initiatives involving general hospitals across Niger State through Tespire Health.
Bayero supported the mentoring of young innovators participating in national technology competitions and contributed to the organisation’s Girls in ICT activities.
An active member of the Nigerian Library Association, he was reportedly preparing to pursue a PhD before his untimely death.
Labspace described him as a calm and supportive individual whose contributions extended across technology, education and innovation
Emmanuel Olumide Fayomi was a technology entrepreneur and an important contributor to the Minna startup ecosystem.
He co-founded SchoolSQL and represented Labspace and Niger State at GITEX Nigeria, while also participating in the National Information Technology Development Agency’s (NITDA) iHatch programme.
A graduate of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, in 2020, Fayomi previously worked with Motiv8 and was also associated with the Enablers Network, where he served as a patron.
He contributed to Labspace’s National Hybrid SIWES Programme by facilitating sessions designed to equip young people with practical and professional skills.
Fayomi also co-founded Wosh Mart Services alongside Nafisat Aguye.
The organisation described him as a passionate builder and entrepreneur whose efforts helped strengthen the local startup community.
George-Junior Alainengiya was a recent graduate of Mechatronics Engineering at the Federal University of Technology, Minna.
He initially joined Labspace as an intern before becoming actively involved in its technology education and youth development programmes.
According to the organisation, he demonstrated strong software development abilities and helped introduce children to robotics and other technology-related skills.
He served as the lead instructor for the Labspace Kids Summer Camp 2026, where he trained young learners and encouraged their interest in technology, robotics and practical innovation.
Labspace said his dedication to technology education and commitment to inspiring younger generations would remain part of his legacy.
Labspace Calls for Accurate Reporting, Thorough Accident Investigation
Following the tragedy, Labspace appealed to media organisations, bloggers and other publishers to correct reports that failed to properly reflect the professional identities and achievements of the deceased.
The organisation stressed that the four victims were professionals, entrepreneurs, educators and programme coordinators whose contributions went beyond their immediate workplace.
It noted that their activities supported startups, developed young talents and connected innovators in Niger State to opportunities across the country.
Labspace said their deaths had left a painful void among their families, colleagues, partners and the communities they served.
The organisation also called on relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident and ensure that anyone found culpable of reckless driving is held accountable under the law.
It expressed condolences to the bereaved families and everyone affected by the tragedy.
The organisation emphasised that its clarification was not intended to diminish the grief surrounding the incident but to ensure that the deceased are remembered with the dignity, recognition and respect their lives and professional contributions deserve.
About the Author
