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Final Call: Innovate Nigeria Ends October 31st
Written by Naseni Innovation Hub
From the moment IBM planted the seeds of Africa’s first education centre at University College decades ago, Nigeria has been building toward this moment. Through the rise of indigenous software companies, the birth of Computer Village, and the mobile revolution of 2001, one truth has remained constant: Nigerian innovators don’t wait for permission to create.
Now, the InnovateNaija Challenge is offering something unprecedented pathway from grassroots invention to national recognition, backed by real funding and genuine support.
InnovateNaija launch at GITEX Lagos
What’s at Stake
This isn’t another pitch competition that rewards polished presentations over practical solutions. The InnovateNaija Challenge, launched by the NASENI Innovation Hub in partnership with AfriLabs, is structured to find and fund innovations that actually work in Nigerian contexts.
The opportunity:
- ₦2.5 million for one grassroots innovator from each state and the FCT
- A spot at the NASENI Invention Fest in Abuja (February 2026)
- Access to a ₦150 million prize pool at the national finals
- Direct connection to NASENI’s ecosystem of partners, mentors, and manufacturers
As Dr Anas Balarabe Yazid, Special Advisor to the EVC/CEO of NASENI, stated at the GITEX Nigeria launch,
“Our goal is to find, fund, and fast-track homegrown products that work locally and scale globally.”
Dr Anas Balarabe Yazid at the event
How It Works
The process is designed for transparency and community engagement:
- Apply through the NASENI Innovation Hub website with your innovation details and impact statement.
- Post a 2-minute video pitch on Instagram or X, tagging @nasenihub and @nasenihq with #InnovateNaija and #NASENIImpact.
- Compete as your state’s top 5 entries go to public voting
- Win your state round to secure ₦2.5 million and advance to nationals
Your community decides who represents them. Your innovation speaks for itself.
Why This Matters Now
Nigeria’s innovation story has always been written by people who refused to wait. The self-taught developers of the early 2000s. The founders who built CcHub. The team that scaled Andela’s model across Africa. Each generation pushed boundaries without asking for permission.
But talent without support remains potential without impact.
The InnovateNaija Challenge is infrastructure for the next wave, a systematic approach to discovering, funding, and scaling solutions that emerge from Nigerian realities. Whether you’re working on clean energy systems, agricultural technology, or smart city infrastructure, this challenge is designed to accelerate your progress.
As Jennifer Jasmine Okeke-Ojiudu noted during the launch,
“Innovation is not new to us in Nigeria. Genius has always been our inheritance.”
Jennifer Jasmine Okeke-Ojiudu speaking at the event.
Final Days
Deadline: October 31st, 2025
This is your final week to submit. Not next year’s opportunity. Not someone else’s moment.
If you’ve been building something that solves a real problem in your community, this is your platform. If you’ve been testing a prototype that works but needs resources to scale, this is your chance. If you’ve been waiting for validation that your work matters, this is it.
The application portal closes on Friday. After that, the only thing left will be watching others pitch the solutions you could have submitted.
Take Action Now
Visit the NASENI Innovation Hub website to submit your application. Upload your pitch video with the required tags. Let your state and Nigeria see what you’re building.
From GITEX to every corner of Nigeria’s 36 states, the message is clear: this is the moment for solutions that come from us, built by us, for us.
The deadline is October 31st.
Your move.
For more information: InnovateNaija Challenge Website
Follow: @nasenihub | @nasenihq
Tags: #InnovateNaija #NASENIImpac
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