InnovateNaija Challenge: NASENI’s N250m Competition Shaping Nigeria’s Infrastructure Future

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has taken another significant step to boost innovation in the country with the recent launch of the InnovateNaija Challenge, a nationwide movement designed to discover and empower the nation’s brightest minds.

The launch of this creative idea during the important meeting of the Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX) 2025 in Lagos was remarkable as the initiative was designed for the future of Nigerian innovation and the fundamental aspect is that it is powered by its youth who will compete and display their immense talents.

With an impressive total prize pool of N250 million, this competition is set to become Nigeria’s largest showcase of homegrown products in science, engineering, and manufacturing. The grand prize winner will be awarded a whopping N100 million grant to turn their groundbreaking idea into a reality.

The challenge, a brilliant intervention by the Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, Khalil Suleiman Haliliu, kicked off on September 4, 2025, at GITEX Nigeria held at the Landmark Event Center in Lagos. InnovateNaija by this creative measure is more than a competition; it is a nationwide search for the next generation of industry leaders.

With this initiative, NASENI has opened opportunities for young Nigerians who are invited to submit their most creative inventions and products via engaging video entries to vie for a spot in this monumental event. Innovators can apply and find more information here.

The excitement will unfold over three thrilling months, structured in two dynamic phases:
● Phase 1: Thirty-six innovators, one from each state and the FCT will be selected through a blend of public voting and expert review. Each of these state winners will secure a N2.5 million grant to help advance their innovations.
● Phase 2: The top 15 innovators will earn their place at the grand finale: the NASENI Invention Fest in Abuja in February 2026. Here, they will present their products to a panel of expert judges and key stakeholders. The stakes are immense, as the top three national winners will be chosen, with the ultimate champion taking home the N100 million grant to scale their solution.

In parallel with the challenge, InnovateNaija marks the pre-launch of the NASENI Innovation Hub. This cutting-edge facility is designed to bridge the gap between brilliant ideas and market-ready products. By providing critical infrastructure, mentorship, capacity building, and funding, the hub will serve as the ultimate launchpad, transforming innovators into entrepreneurs and sparking a new era of collaboration and growth in Nigeria’s tech ecosystem.
“We are committed to fostering an environment where these innovations can thrive,” Halilu said.
“The InnovateNaija Challenge is an incredible opportunity to identify, empower, and support Nigeria’s most promising young innovators. Our Innovation Hub is designed to strengthen research and development with a clear focus on advancing Nigeria’s s technological capabilities and promoting homegrown solutions, not just for Nigeria, but for all of Africa,” he added.
The NASENI boss, who embodies the ideals of the Agency and its drive to expose and exploit the boundless talents of the country’s youth, said it was aimed at breaking the cycle of lack of opportunity for the youth and to help them realize their dreams.

He said, “Today, we are breaking that cycle, with the launch of InnovateNaija here at GITEX Nigeria. We are not just unveiling a competition, we are igniting a movement, a movement that empowers, funds, and accelerates Nigerian ingenuity.”

With N250 million in funding, including a N100 million grand prize, Innovate Naija is Nigeria’s biggest innovation challenge, and one of the largest in West Africa. It is powered by NASENI, backed by the Presidency, and supported by AfriLabs, the largest innovation hub network in Africa.

According to Halilu, this is not just about prizes. It’s about belief, belief that Nigerian solutions can solve Nigerian problems. Belief that Nigerian youth can transform necessity into invention, and invention into scalable businesses. NASENI’s role is a catalyst, creating the right environment, resources, and partnerships for innovation to thrive.

Through the NASENI Innovation Hub, the Agency is building infrastructure, mentorship, and funding opportunities that will nurture homegrown solutions into world-class enterprises. NASENI is not only looking inward, but also outward to position Nigeria as a continental leader in technology transfer, industrialization, and youth-led innovation.
The thrust of this initiative is to go beyond the borders of Nigeria as Africa’s future depends on collaboration. It is a proven fact that when a Nigerian innovator builds a solar solution, it should be scaled in Ghana, Kenya, and beyond. When a Kenyan builds a health-tech breakthrough, it should find partners in Lagos and Abuja.

That is why this initiative is backed by AfriLabs and it ensures that InnovateNaija is not just a Nigerian story, but an African story, a story of collective advancement, powered by youth and technology.

Anna Ekeledo, Executive Director at AfriLabs, added, “We believe in the power of homegrown innovation to drive Africa’s development, and InnovateNaija is a powerful testament to that belief. By empowering innovators across every state in Nigeria, this competition fuels creativity and strengthens the entire ecosystem.

“We are thrilled to partner with NASENI on this groundbreaking initiative that will showcase Nigerian ingenuity and provide the resources needed to scale impactful solutions,” she added.

Also, at the GITEX Forum, Halilu affirmed that Africa has manufacturing and innovation competitive advantages on global scale, stressing that Nigeria and Africa have a very vibrant or young generation and also with a huge market population, labour is cheap and many young Africans are yearning to innovate and to work.

The EVC/CEO of NASENI said these and other economic factors needed for production, all combined to make Nigeria and the rest of Africa the next attraction for investment destinations, including high return on investments.

Halilu was one of the five panelists and resource persons on the topic “The Neo-Geo Politics of TECH” during one of the GITEX Week panel sessions at the conference and exhibition held at the Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Reflecting on the current global political economy conflict on tariff among big players, the EVC said, “It’s really been a new era. One year seems like ten when big national economies struggle over tariffs, and simply put, when the big economies are fighting, the small players feel the impacts the most.

“But to my mind, our response has to be simple: diversify supplies, localize what is practical, and then get the government and regulators to share some of the risks. For companies, there are a few key moves.”
The NASENI boss used his personal example to motivate Nigeria and other African countries to build resilience in their products so they can absorb shocks. He said costs are not going down anytime soon, and the continent needs to be ready, form partnerships and work collectively to standardize.

“That gives us an edge and creates new opportunities, pushes government institutions to set and enforce standards, while also providing incentives because incentives drive industrialization,” he added.
According to the NASENI boss, “Nigeria today has many incentives for local manufacturing, but we also need to localize foreign exchange demand. That’s why companies should think seriously about local production.

“There is a growing global interest in Nigeria. It is the government’s role to de-risk, and it is the entrepreneur’s responsibility to build. With this background, we should be investing in making, localizing, and adopting different strategies.”

GITEX Technology Week is a computer expo held annually in Dubai, United Arab Emirates at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The GITEX Nigeria 2025 is the inaugural edition held in the country. The event underpins the rapid technology-driven transformations, investments and projects shaping the economies of the Middle East, Africa and Asia.