The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), in partnership with AfriLabs, has launched the Innovate Nigeria initiative, also known as InnovateNaija, a ₦250 million innovation challenge aimed at empowering young Nigerians to create transformative technological solutions that address real-life problems.
Speaking at the launch of the competition at GITEX Nigeria on the 10x stage at Landmark Event Centre, Lagos, on Thursday, Khalil Halilu, the Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of NASENI, described the initiative as a bold step towards building a thriving innovation ecosystem in Nigeria.
“In terms of what kind of innovation, I think they should be looking at things that solve real problems. Not just fancy things, but things that solve daily problems of the average Nigerian that can also scale at an African level,” Halilu said.
The InnovateNaija challenge, backed by Presidential support, aims to identify, empower, and showcase the country’s brightest minds in science, engineering, and manufacturing. The competition offers a total prize pool of ₦250 million, with the grand prize winner receiving ₦100 million to scale their innovation into a market-ready solution.
Khalil Halilu emphasised the government’s commitment to supporting young innovators and providing them with opportunities to showcase their talents.
“You see a young kid in somewhere like Jigawa creating a generator that runs on water. You know, this is government giving you an opportunity to participate, to get some money, mentorship, and also other forms of support,” he explained.
Halilu further stressed the importance of youth-driven innovations, highlighting the administration’s efforts to create enabling environments for creativity and technological advancement.
“This is the government saying that we believe in the youth, we believe in their innovations. And we’ve had their call, you know, different people have been asking the government to support their different inventions,” he said.
The competition will unfold in two phases across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). In the first phase, one top innovator from each state and the FCT will be selected, making up 37 winners, each receiving a ₦2.5 million grant to further develop their projects. The top 15 innovators will then advance to the grand finale at the NASENI Invention Fest in Abuja in February 2026, where the national winners will be announced.
According to NASENI, the challenge is also tied to the pre-launch of the NASENI Innovation Hub in Abuja, which will provide critical infrastructure, mentorship, and funding to transform Nigerian ideas into scalable, globally competitive solutions.
Also speaking at the event, Jennifer Okeke Ojiudu, the Senior Ecosystem Engagements Manager at AfriLabs, expressed the organisation’s excitement about the partnership, describing Innovate Nigeria as a unique opportunity to showcase Nigerian ingenuity.
“If you have a cousin, sister, friend, brother that you know has those brilliant ideas, push them to come forward. And we also need state governments to back those young people because they will be representing your state,” Ojiudu urged.
She further encouraged Nigerian youths to actively participate, adding:
“Young people, get on social media, get on the website, put in your ideas. You need to be involved in this.”
The InnovateNaija challenge officially opened on September 4, 2025, and is expected to attract thousands of young inventors nationwide. Organisers say the competition is not just about funding but about building a sustainable ecosystem where Nigerian innovations can thrive and compete globally.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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