The initiative was announced at a press conference in Abuja by Dr. Kazeem Kolawole Raji, Director General of the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI), who described it as more than a competition — calling it a national development catalyst and a platform for global innovation diplomacy.
According to Raji, the programme is built around a simple but ambitious goal: moving Nigerian innovators “from laboratories to livelihoods, from prototypes to products, and from ideas to commercial success.”
Organised by the NBTI in partnership with UK-based consultancy UKALD, the challenge will connect Nigerian entrepreneurs with international investors, development finance institutions, multilateral agencies and private sector partners. Innovation boot camps will kick off in Abuja, with the grand finale set for October 2026 at the ExCeL London in the United Kingdom. Additional international editions are planned for Doha, Qatar, targeting Middle East investors and sovereign wealth funds.
