Hamid Khayar

Hamid Khayar Oumar Defallah is a Chadian tech entrepreneur, digital policy leader, and applied researcher committed to shaping Chad’s digital future. He is the Founder and CEO of Chad Innovation Hub, launched in 2018, which has become one of the country’s leading engines for innovation. Through its co-working spaces, startup incubation programs, and digital skills training, the Hub empowers young people, women, and refugees to build sustainable, technology-driven solutions tailored to local challenges.

In 2020, he was appointed by the President of the Republic to lead the National Agency for Digital Transition as its General Coordinator. In this role, he oversees major national digital transformation initiatives, including the rollout of digital terrestrial television (TNT) across the country, the modernisation of Chad’s audiovisual ecosystem, the expansion of equitable access to information, the establishment of modern digital governance frameworks, and the strengthening of digital public infrastructure.

Alongside his executive roles, Khayar contributes to national research and policy development as a Research Assistant at the Centre National de Recherche pour le Développement (CNRD). His work focuses on digital governance, civic technology, digital identity systems, and the social impacts of emerging technologies. He leads and contributes to multi-stakeholder research projects on digital rights, public sector innovation, and inclusive digital transformation, partnering with civil society organisations, ministries, and international institutions.

Khayar is also deeply invested in youth empowerment. He spearheaded the Mobile Energy Box, a solar-powered, mobile energy and productivity solution designed for underserved and remote communities. Under his leadership, Chad Innovation Hub has trained more than 5,000 aspiring entrepreneurs and supported the creation of over 15 startups addressing challenges in education, health, agriculture, and civic technology.

A graduate of Bangalore University (India) with a Master of Computer Applications, he further strengthened his leadership profile as a 2016 Mandela Washington Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin. His global exposure, combined with a grounded understanding of Chad’s realities, has positioned him as a key actor in the country’s digital transformation agenda.

Khayar’s contributions have earned international recognition, with Chad Innovation Hub named Central Africa’s Best Incubator in both 2023 and 2024 by the Global Startup Awards. His work continues to inspire a new generation of innovators committed to advancing inclusive and sustainable development through technology in Chad and the wider region.