NASENI Set To Crown Nigeria’s Top Innovators As Final Pitching Exercise Holds Wednesday
Rashidat O. Okunlade Writes, Lagos
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) is set to host the Final Pitching Exercise of its Innovation Assessment & Awards Programme (NIAAP) on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, in what promises to be a landmark showcase of Nigeria’s indigenous technological ingenuity.
The event marks the culmination of a rigorous selection process that began with 180 applications from NASENI Development Institutes and 81 submissions from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) across the country. Following a thorough assessment, the Top 10 finalists in each of the two competition categories, Intra-Agency and Inter-Agency will now present their innovations before an independent panel of experts at the Technology Orientation Centre (TOC), NASENI Headquarters, Idu-Industrial Layout, Abuja.
Scheduled to commence at 10:00 a.m., the live pitching session will evaluate each solution based on originality, technical merit, practical applicability, scalability, and potential socio-economic impact. At the conclusion of the exercise, the panel will select the three best innovations in each category, with winners to be formally honoured during NASENI FEST, the Agency’s flagship innovation celebration.
A Commitment to Industrial Transformation
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, will officially declare the competition open, underscoring the Agency’s unwavering dedication to fostering a thriving innovation ecosystem that supports indigenous technology development and accelerates Nigeria’s industrial transformation.
Held under the theme, “Driving Innovation. Accelerating Industrialization. Transforming Nigeria,” the programme aligns with NASENI’s strategic mandate of leveraging science, technology, and engineering to develop local solutions to national challenges. It also reinforces the Agency’s commitment to discovering, nurturing, and rewarding innovative ideas capable of driving sustainable industrial growth and economic prosperity.
Beyond Competition: A Platform for National Development
While the competition promises to be fiercely contested, its broader significance lies in its role as a platform for discovering transformative ideas, promoting collaboration among innovators, NASENI institutes, and public institutions, and inspiring a new generation of Nigerian inventors and problem-solvers.
The Agency has extended invitations to policymakers, industry stakeholders, researchers, innovators, development partners, members of the diplomatic community, the media, and the general public to witness what it describes as a landmark celebration of Nigerian ingenuity, technological excellence, and homegrown innovation.
As Nigeria continues its quest for self-reliance in science and technology, Wednesday’s event is expected to offer a compelling glimpse into the future of the nation’s industrial landscape, one shaped not by imported solutions, but by the creative genius of its own people.
