By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

In a region where startup narratives often struggle to break into mainstream business coverage, Johnpaul Nwobodo is betting on media as a tool for visibility and long-term ecosystem growth.

Through Cresthub, a startup-focused media platform, Nwobodo is documenting founders, emerging businesses, and entrepreneurial activity across Northern Nigeria, with Jos, Plateau State, serving as a key base.

“Cresthub was founded with the sole mission of educating, promoting and raising global entrepreneurs,” he said. “We are doing that one step at a time through our work in Northern Nigeria, starting from Jos, Plateau State.”

For Nwobodo, Cresthub is not just a media company, but a deliberate effort to document what he describes as “hidden builders” in underserved regions.

He explained that the idea began during his time as a medical student at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, where he started sharing stories within his immediate environment.

“We started Cresthub during medical school,” he said. “At that time, it was just about telling stories around us, nothing too structured.”

What began as campus-based storytelling gradually evolved into a broader focus on entrepreneurship and ecosystem coverage.

“Over time, we realised that a lot of founders in Northern Nigeria were building without visibility,” he said. “And if people don’t see what is being built, it becomes harder for those founders to grow.”

According to him, that gap became the foundation for Cresthub’s expansion beyond the university environment into Northern Nigeria’s startup space.

“Our aim has always been to cover underserved and hidden entrepreneurs,” he added. “There is a lot happening here that doesn’t get documented.”

He noted that the decision to shift focus to the North was intentional rather than accidental.

“We moved operations because the stories we were looking for were already here,” he said. “They just weren’t being told.”

Cresthub’s early traction was strengthened by initiatives such as the Cresthub Entrepreneurial Award, which brought student founders and young innovators into the spotlight.

“That event helped us understand the power of community,” he said. “People want platforms where their work is recognised.”

Beyond publishing stories, the platform has also hosted events like the Cresthub Founders Mixer, designed to connect entrepreneurs and encourage collaboration.

“We are building more than content,” Nwobodo said. “We are building access and connection.”

He also emphasised his belief in Northern Nigeria’s growing innovation potential.

“We are quite bullish on solutions coming out of Northern Nigeria,” he said. “There is resilience here, and there is creativity.”

For him, media plays a critical role in shaping how ecosystems are perceived both locally and globally.

“If you don’t document it, it feels like nothing is happening,” he said. “But things are happening here every day.”

He added that Cresthub is still in its early phase but remains focused on consistency.

“This is just the beginning,” he said. “We are documenting now so that in a few years, people can look back and see the journey clearly.”