Director General of the National Board for Technology Incubation, NBTI, Dr. Kazeem Kolawole Raji, on Tuesday said the agency is targeting innovations that will address food scarcity and other problems in the country.
Raji spoke at the national showcase of the NextGen Innovation Challenge, 2025, in Abuja, with the theme ‘Igniting Indigenous Ingenuity: Nigerian Solutions, Global Impact’, where he also declared that Nigeria’s greatest resources are the country’s citizens and not minerals.
The event featured 74 finalists who emerged from over 3,000 potential innovators who submitted entries in the 2025 edition of the NextGen Innovation Challenge.
The NextGen Innovation Challenge is a transformative platform engineered to amplify the brilliance of Nigerian minds, and to project homegrown solutions onto the global stage.
Speaking at the event, Raji noted that the 2025 edition of the NextGen Innovation Challenge, which kicked off on May 28, 2025, received over 3,000 applications featuring potential innovations from different parts of the country.
“Every entry, every idea, is a vote of confidence in the future we are building — a future authored by Nigerians, for Nigeria, and for the world. Our goal is not cosmetic innovation; it is deep, systemic transformation: How do we secure food for over 200 million people?How do we bring sustainable energy to the last rural household? How do we ensure that even the most remote child learns from the brightest minds — including those born here, in Nigeria?
“The answers are not in distant capitals. They are here — in this room, in these booths, and in these brilliant minds,”; Raji said.
He added that the NBTI, through the NextGen Innovation Challenge, is scripting a new chapter in Nigeria’s history.
“Today, Nigeria is not simply convening an event; we are scripting a pivotal chapter in our nation’s journey — a chapter defined not by natural endowments, but by intellectual assets; not by what lies beneath our soil, but by the boundless ingenuity rising from within our people.
“You, the innovators, are the living proof that Nigeria’s greatest resource is not beneath the ground — it is within our people,”; he added.
The NBTI boss added that the NextGen Innovation Challenge aligns with key fundamentals of the President Bola Tinubu administration through which Nigeria is currently undergoing a transformation.
He added, “Under the visionary leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Nigeria is undergoing a bold and deliberate transformation — anchored on the Renewed Hope Agenda, the Nigeria First Policy, and now, Nigeria’s historic inclusion in the BRICS economic alliance.
“These are not just policies and partnerships; they are platforms — designed to elevate our homegrown talent, strengthen our sovereignty, and power a new era of innovation-led development.”;
Raji urged innovators and entrepreneurs to take advantage of the Tinubu administration’s Nigeria First Policy’ as well as the country’s inclusion in the BRICS member countries.
“The ‘Nigeria First Policy’ is a clarion call to prioritize local solutions for local and global challenges. It is an affirmation that Nigerian ideas matter, Nigerian products are valuable, and Nigerian innovators deserve to lead.
“You now operate in an ecosystem that is
deliberately being shaped to favour you— with government support, development financing, and policy reforms aligned to empower indigenous thinkers, builders, innovators and creators.
“At the same time, Nigeria’s membership in BRICS opens unprecedented access to global markets — linking you directly to a multilateral bloc that collectively represents over 40% of the world’s population and trillions of dollars in trade and investment flows.
“This is your passport to new partnerships, new funding channels, new export opportunities, and cutting-edge collaboration with fellow innovators across emerging economies.
“But opportunity, no matter how abundant, is only as useful as your readiness to seize it. You must now think beyond prototypes—toward products. Think beyond ideas—toward impact. Think beyond visibility—toward viability and scalability. Build for Nigeria. Design for Africa.
“Compete for the world. Leverage the local content frameworks that prioritize your solutions in public procurement. Align with the Nigeria First Policy to build credibility and attract government and private-sector buy-in. Position your innovations to solve real Nigerian problems — energy access, food security, healthcare delivery, education, logistics, fintech, and industrial productivity.
“These are the frontlines where the Renewed Hope Agenda meets real transformation. Do not wait for permission to lead—the door is wide open. Let this be your era of audacity, of excellence and of scale. NBTI is proud to be a vanguard of this vision — building not just systems, but ecosystems; not just pipelines of talent, but platforms for prosperity.
“With our trusted project management consultants at UKALD, we are converting ambition into action, and transforming ideas into impact,”; he said.
In his remarks at the event, the Minister Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, commended the NBTI for coming up with the program.
He said, “Let me begin by commending the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI), the distinguished
judges, and the organizing committee for creating a national platform that speaks directly to the aspirations of our youth and the future of our country.”;
He equally urged the investors to take advantage of the innovations showcased at the event.
“To our private sector partners and global friends present here — I urge you to invest in these innovators. What you see today is just a glimpse of what Nigeria has to offer. These young men and women don’t just have ideas — they have solutions, blueprints, and scalable products that can redefine industries and transform lives,”; the minister said.
