NASENI, AfriLabs, Launch InnovateNaija, A 250million Naira Innovation Challenge

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has formally initiated the InnovateNaija Challenge. It is a national initiative to identify and support the nation’s most talented individuals.

With an astounding prize pool of N250 million, this event is poised to be Nigeria’s biggest exhibition of locally developed products in science, engineering, and manufacturing. The top prize recipient will receive an impressive N100 million funding to bring their innovative concept to life.

InnovateNaija: More Than Just a Contest

InnovateNaija is more than just a contest; it’s a countrywide quest for the upcoming wave of industry pioneers. Young Nigerians are encouraged to showcase their most innovative inventions and products through captivating video submissions to compete for a chance to participate in this significant event. Innovators can submit applications and discover additional details here.

The thrill will span over a captivating three-month period, organised into two vibrant phases:

Phase 1:

Thirty-six innovators, one from each state and the FCT, will be chosen via public voting and expert evaluation. All state winners will receive a grant of N2.5 million to support the development of their innovations.

Phase 2:

The leading 15 innovators will secure their spot at the grand finale: the NASENI Invention Fest in Abuja in February 2026. Here, they will showcase their offerings to expert evaluators and essential elders.

The stakes are high. The leading three national winners will be selected, and the overall champion will receive the N100 million grant to expand their solution.

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NASENI Innovation Hub in View

Simultaneously with the challenge, InnovateNaija celebrates the pre-launch of the NASENI Innovation Hub. This state-of-the-art facility aims to connect innovative concepts with products ready for the market.

The hub aims to become the main launchpad for innovators in Nigeria by offering essential infrastructure, mentorship, capacity development, and financial support. This will convert innovators into entrepreneurs and ignite a new phase of collaboration and expansion within Nigeria’s tech ecosystem.

“We are dedicated to cultivating a setting where these innovations can flourish,” stated Khalil Sulaiman Halilu, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NASENI. “The InnovateNaija Challenge presents a remarkable chance to discover, uplift, and assist Nigeria’s brightest young innovators. Our Innovation Hub aims to enhance research and development, specifically emphasising improving Nigeria’s technological skills. We want to encourage local solutions, benefiting Nigeria and the entire African continent.

Anna Ekeledo, AfriLabs Executive Director, stated, “We trust in the potential of local innovation to propel Africa’s progress, and InnovateNaija is a compelling proof of that conviction.” This competition enhances creativity and reinforces the ecosystem by empowering innovators in every state of Nigeria. She added that AfriLabs is excited to collaborate with NASENI on this revolutionary project.  The goal of the initiative, she stressed, is to boost creativity in Nigeria and offer the resources necessary to expand effective solutions.

About NASENI

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) is a federal government agency operating under the Presidency. It is dedicated to developing a robust science and engineering infrastructure to bolster Nigeria’s industrialisation.

About AfriLabs

AfriLabs is Africa’s biggest network of technology and innovation hubs. It is committed to promoting the development of the continent’s innovation ecosystem by linking hubs and stakeholders to enable collaboration, knowledge exchange, and resource sharing.