The National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) has unveiled the NextGen Innovation Challenge 2026, a platform designed to accelerate innovation, mobilise investment and position Nigeria for global competitiveness.
Director-General of NBTI, Dr Kazeem Raji, announced this on Thursday at a news conference to kick off the NextGen Innovation Challenge of 2026 in Abuja.
Raji said the programme, organised in partnership with UK-based consultancy firm UKALD, would feature innovation boot camps in Abuja and a grand finale scheduled for October 2026 in London.
“With innovation boot camps commencing in Abuja and a Grand Finale scheduled for October 2026 in London, NEXTGEN 2026 is not merely a competition.
“It is a national development catalyst and a global innovation diplomacy platform,” he said.
According to him, the platform is designed to connect entrepreneurs, researchers, students and emerging innovators with global investors, governments, development finance institutions, multilateral agencies and private sector partners.
He explained that the initiative would build on the successes of the 2025 edition by strengthening capital mobilisation, mentorship and market access.
Raji said the challenge would run as a multi-hub international platform, with editions planned for Doha, Qatar, and London, United Kingdom.
He added that mentorship support would be provided through collaborations with Innovate UK, Teesside University London and Google, among other partners.
“We don’t want to know where you are from, what we want to know is that you are in Nigeria, and we want to make sure Nigerian innovators do the work,” he said.
He noted that selection of entries would be based on technological merit using their Technology Readiness Level Assessment Framework.
“Submit quality innovation because selection will depend on technology, it is not going to have any bias,” he added.
The DG said a three-day innovation boot camp would be held in Abuja in July 2026 to train participants on prototype refinement, commercialisation and investment readiness.
He explained that the London grand finale would feature global showcases, investor pitching sessions, policy engagements and deal rooms.
Raji listed priority areas for the 2026 NextGen Challenge to include artificial intelligence and robotics, advanced semiconductors and digital infrastructure, software development and advanced designs.
Other areas included telecommunications, green and renewable energy technologies, climate resilience and flood detection systems, women in tech and gender-inclusive innovation, climate friendly innovation solutions, among others.
He called on prospective participants to come up with innovations around climate-friendly solutions, noting that there were growing international funding opportunities.
According to him, the focused sectors aligns directly with Nigeria’s national development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals agenda of 2030.
Raji disclosed that NBTI in collaboration with other stakeholders was working on a national policy framework to strengthen commercialisation of research and innovation outcomes.
He urged universities to prioritise turning research prototypes into market-ready products.
According to him, innovation is the new oil and our most reliable pathway to increasing prosperity and global competitiveness.
Raji said the initiative aligned with the economic vision of President Bola Tinubu, adding that Nigeria’s greatest resource lied in the creativity of its people.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the application for the challenge will begin between February 26 to end of March 28 and does not have age limitations.
Applicants can access the platform for the challenge on http://www.nextgeninnovation.ng.(NAN)http://www.nannews.ng
Edited by Funmilayo Adeyemi
