…as presidency, NASENI Innovation Hub, AfriLabs support innovation
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has launched the InnovateNaija ₦250 million challenge, a groundbreaking initiative designed to empower youth innovation in Nigeria.
The official launch of InnovateNaija took place on September 4, 2025, at GITEX Nigeria on the 10x Stage at Landmark Event Center, Lagos.
The challenge aims to drive innovation across all 36 states and the FCT by inviting young Nigerians to submit their creative inventions and products through engaging video entries.
This ambitious program aims to identify, support, and showcase homegrown innovations in science, engineering, and manufacturing across the country, providing a platform for young Nigerians to turn their ideas into reality.
This initiative seeks to identify, empower, and support homegrown, game- changing innovations in science, engineering, or manufacturing across Nigeria. To achieve this, the competition offers a total prize pool of ₦250 million, with the grand prize winner receiving ₦100 million to help bring their innovation to life.
The competition will unfold over three exciting months and will consist of two phases. In the first phase, the top 37 innovators, —one from each state and the FCT,—will be selected through a dynamic process that includes public voting.
Each of these 37 winners will receive a grant of ₦2.5 million to help further develop their innovations.
Also, the top 15 innovators from the state-level competitions will advance to the grand finale pitch event at the NASENI Invention Fest in Abuja in February 2026.
Here, they will showcase their products to a panel of expert judges and key stakeholders.
The stakes will be high as the top three national winners are determined. The grand prize winner will receive a ₦100 million grant, providing a fantastic opportunity to elevate their innovation to the next level.
InnovateNaija also marks the pre-launch of the NASENI Innovation Hub, designed to bridge the support gap for innovators, enhance collaboration, and accelerate the development of market-ready
products in Nigeria’s tech and entrepreneurial landscape.
The Innovation Hub will provide critical infrastructure, mentorship, capacity building, and funding opportunities, serving as a launch pad for Nigerian innovators to transform ideas into scalable businesses.
At the launch event, Khalil Sulaiman Halilu, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NASENI, emphasised the agency’s commitment to fostering an environment where innovations can thrive.
“As we gear up towards the launch of the InnovateNaija Challenge, we at NASENI are committed to fostering an environment where these innovations can thrive,” he said.
“The InnovateNaija Challenge is an incredible opportunity, offering funding to 37 outstanding youths, to bring their ideas to life.”
He also highlighted the crucial role of the NASENI Innovation Hub in promoting homegrown solutions to Nigeria’s unique challenges.
Anna Ekeledo, Executive Director at AfriLabs in a statement expressed her organization’s enthusiasm for supporting NASENI in this initiative.
“At AfriLabs, we believe in the power of homegrown innovation to drive Africa’s development, and InnovateNaija is a testament to this belief,” she said.
“By empowering innovators across all states in Nigeria, this competition not only fuels creativity but also strengthens the innovation ecosystem.”
Jennifer Okeke-Ojiudu, Senior Ecosystem Engagements Manager at AfriLabs, also spoke at the event, highlighting Nigeria’s rich history of innovation. “When we talk about African ingenuity, let no one say we are just catching up,” she said.
“Innovation is not new to us in Nigeria. Genius has always been our inheritance.” She emphasized the importance of discovering, funding, and scaling groundbreaking ideas in Nigeria, and encouraged young innovators to participate in the competition.
Anas Balarabe Yazid, Special Adviser on Commercialisation to the Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, explained the purpose of the Innovate Naija Challenge.
“Innovate Naija finds, funds, and fast-tracks the best home-grown products into solutions that work here and can scale globally,” he said. He outlined the competition’s process, including application, shortlisting, public voting, and pitching live at the NASENI Invention Festival.
Ayodele Olawande, the Honourable Minister of Youth Development, expressed his support for the initiative, stating, “This campaign represents a bold statement of belief in the creativity and capacity of Nigerian youth.”
He emphasised the importance of including science, technology, and innovation in every national agenda and encouraged young Nigerians to participate in the competition.
Present at the event was Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General (DG) of NITDA and some other dignitaries.
The NASENI Innovation Hub and AfriLabs are partnering to support innovators and provide critical infrastructure, mentorship, and funding opportunities, ensuring that the best ideas are nurtured and scaled into successful businesses.
Through InnovateNaija, NASENI and AfriLabs are committed to empowering the next generation of Nigerian innovators and entrepreneurs, and driving economic growth and development in the country.
With its innovative approach and commitment to supporting homegrown talent, InnovateNaija is poised to make a significant impact on Nigeria’s innovation landscape.
