N140 Million Up For Grabs as FG Launches Innovation Competition to Spur Growth
- NASENI launches InnovateNaija Challenge to boost Nigeria's innovation in science and technology
- ₦140 million prize pool available for innovators solving local economic challenges
- Competition open to all young Nigerian innovators, emphasising originality and practical impact
The Federal Government, through the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), has launched the InnovateNaija Challenge, a nationwide innovation competition designed to unlock Nigeria’s creative potential in science, technology, engineering, and manufacturing.
The initiative comes with a total prize pool of ₦140 million, alongside mentorship, visibility, and access to innovation infrastructure, as the government intensifies efforts to support homegrown solutions and strengthen Nigeria’s industrial and technology base.
Source: Facebook
Driving homegrown solutions and industrial growth
NASENI said the InnovateNaija Challenge is aimed at transforming promising ideas into scalable and commercially viable solutions that address real problems in Nigeria.
The programme targets innovators whose ideas can boost productivity, create jobs, reduce import dependence, and solve social or economic challenges.
By combining funding with structured support, NASENI hopes to close long-standing gaps in infrastructure, skills, and financing that have slowed the growth of local innovation ecosystems.
The competition also aligns with the broader NASENI Innovation Hub initiative, which focuses on incubation, capacity building, and commercialisation support for Nigerian innovators.
₦140m prize pool and other key benefits
Participants in the InnovateNaija Challenge stand to gain significant financial and non-financial rewards.
The overall national winner will receive a ₦100 million grant to further develop and scale their innovation.
In addition, each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory will produce one winner, with each state-level champion receiving ₦2.5 million in grant funding.
Beyond cash prizes, finalists will enjoy high-profile showcases and pitching opportunities. Selected innovators will present their ideas to industry experts, investors, policymakers, and stakeholders at the NASENI Invention Fest scheduled to be held in Abuja in February 2026.
Participants will also benefit from mentorship, guidance on commercialisation pathways, and potential access to NASENI Innovation Hubs, which provide shared infrastructure, training, and incubation support.
Who can apply
The competition is open to young Nigerian innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, and inventors across all states of the federation.
Eligible entries must focus on science, engineering, manufacturing, technology, or applied innovation. NASENI says it is particularly interested in ideas or prototypes that can be scaled, commercialised, or deployed to solve local challenges with measurable economic or social impact.
There is no strict requirement for academic qualifications or registered businesses, as the emphasis is on originality, practicality, and impact.
How the competition will run
The InnovateNaija Challenge will be implemented in two major phases over a period of about three months.
The first phase is the state-level selection, where innovators from each state and the FCT submit entries, often through online platforms or video presentations.
These entries are assessed, and in some cases subjected to public voting, to produce one winner per state, each earning ₦2.5 million.
In the second phase, the top 15 innovators nationwide will advance to the national finals at the NASENI Invention Fest in Abuja, where final pitches will determine the winners of the major prizes.
Application process
Interested innovators are required to prepare a clear summary of their idea, explaining the problem it solves, how it works, and any evidence of testing or early results.
Source: Twitter
A short explanatory video is also required as part of the submission process.
Applications are submitted through the NASENI Innovation Hub portal or official partner channels, with deadlines announced online during the competition window.
FG opens GEEP loan programme portal for 2026
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Federal Government has opened the application portal for the 2026 cycle of the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), giving Nigerians access to interest-free loans of up to ₦300,000.
The initiative is part of the National Social Investment Programme and is administered by the Bank of Industry to support micro, small, and medium enterprises, farmers, artisans, traders, and youth entrepreneurs nationwide.
The GEEP loan is designed to expand financial inclusion by providing affordable funding to Nigerians who often struggle to access credit from commercial banks due to high interest rates and strict collateral requirements.
Source: Legit.ng
