NASENI to Unveil Nigeria’s Top Homegrown Innovations as Finalists Battle for National Honours
Agency’s innovation competition attracts over 260 entries from NASENI institutes and MDAs, with winners to emerge after live pitching before expert panel
By Pan Afric Reporters
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) is set to showcase some of Nigeria’s most outstanding indigenous innovations as finalists compete in the Final Pitching Exercise of the NASENI Innovation Assessment and Awards Programme (NIAAP), a flagship initiative designed to promote local technology development and accelerate the country’s industrial transformation.
The event, scheduled for Tuesday, August 5, 2026, at the Technology Orientation Centre (TOC), NASENI Headquarters, Idu Industrial Layout, Abuja, will feature the top innovators selected from more than 260 entries submitted by NASENI Development Institutes and Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) across the country.
The announcement was contained in a press statement issued by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) and signed by Segun Ayeoyenikan, Director of Information, on August 2, 2026.
According to the agency, the competition represents its most ambitious innovation challenge to date, with 180 applications received from NASENI Development Institutes and 81 entries submitted by MDAs nationwide.
Following a rigorous evaluation process, the top 10 finalists in both the Intra-Agency and Inter-Agency categories have emerged and will present their innovations before an independent panel of experts.
The panel will assess each innovation based on originality, technical merit, practical application, scalability and potential socio-economic impact before selecting the three best entries in each category.
The winners will be officially recognised during NASENI FEST, the agency’s flagship celebration of innovation and technology.
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, is expected to formally declare the competition open, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to nurturing indigenous technologies capable of driving Nigeria’s industrial growth.
“Driving Innovation. Accelerating Industrialization. Transforming Nigeria,” is the theme of this year’s programme, underscoring NASENI’s strategic commitment to leveraging science, technology and engineering to develop homegrown solutions to national challenges.
NASENI said the initiative aligns with its mandate of strengthening Nigeria’s industrial competitiveness through research, innovation and technology development while creating opportunities for local inventors to commercialise their ideas.
According to the agency, the competition goes beyond recognising exceptional innovations by fostering collaboration among researchers, development institutes, public institutions and industry stakeholders.
It noted that the programme is also expected to inspire a new generation of Nigerian inventors and problem-solvers whose ideas can contribute significantly to sustainable industrial development and economic prosperity.
The agency has invited policymakers, researchers, innovators, development partners, members of the diplomatic community, industry stakeholders, the media and the general public to witness what it described as a landmark celebration of Nigerian ingenuity and technological excellence.
“The programme reinforces the Agency’s commitment to discovering, nurturing, and rewarding innovative ideas capable of driving sustainable industrial growth and economic prosperity,” the statement said.
