By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA — The National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) has unveiled an investment and development-finance pipeline exceeding $600 million for solar energy and other development initiatives, following the participation of 298 Nigerian innovators at the NextGen Innovation Challenge 2026 in London.
The proposed financing comprises a $500 million solar-energy programme for universities and polytechnics and a $100 million financing arrangement for the Tinubu Light Initiative. The funds, however, have not been confirmed as received or fully mobilised.
Speaking at a world press conference on Wednesday, NBTI Director-General, Dr Kazeem Kolawole Raji, said the October 9 event, organised in partnership with UKALD, provided an international platform for showcasing Nigerian technologies and connecting innovators with investors and commercial partners.
The number of participating innovators rose from 105 in 2025 to 298 this year, representing all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with innovations spanning agriculture, healthcare, artificial intelligence, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing.
“Our innovators have demonstrated that Nigeria has ideas worthy of international attention. Our responsibility is to help create the conditions in which those ideas can grow, compete and deliver lasting value to our people,” Raji said.
NBTI said discussions with Gigawatt Global focused on developing solar farms in universities and polytechnics under power purchase agreements, while a memorandum of understanding with Financial Innovation for Impact, UK, also known as Cambridge Investors, covered the proposed $100 million financing for the Tinubu Light Initiative.
The initiative targets one million micro and small businesses for solar-energy solutions, 50,000 direct youth jobs and 10,000 trained field marketers, with ₦30 billion in blended financing targeted for its first phase.
Other outcomes include an announced $100,000 investment commitment by Dubai-based investor Erin Grover for three women innovators and international acceleration opportunities valued at $160,000 for 16 selected innovators.
The Learning and Development Bureau UK also offered leadership and management scholarships worth more than £80,000 collectively to the 16 innovators and pledged assistance with UK Global Talent Visa applications, subject to eligibility.
Raji said the priority was now to turn the opportunities into viable businesses, jobs and measurable economic benefits, urging investors and development partners to support Nigerian innovators with funding, mentorship and market access.
“Our focus must now move decisively from visibility to implementation, from promising concepts to commercially viable solutions, and from announcements to independently verifiable outcomes,” he said.
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