Business a.m
Nigeria is stepping onto the global innovation stage with a bold showcase of 105 breakthrough ideas set to be unveiled in London next week,an effort that the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) says could open fresh streams of foreign investment while positioning the country as a hub of transformative solutions for human challenges.
At a press briefing in Abuja, Kazeem Raji, director-general of NBTI, described the forthcoming event,the Grand Finale of the NextGen Innovation Challenge 2025 as “a defining moment in Nigeria’s innovation renaissance.”
On October 9, innovators drawn from a pool of over 3,000 entries will gather at the Hilton London Paddington to pitch cutting-edge solutions spanning HealthTech, AgriTech, FinTech, Clean Energy, Artificial Intelligence, and other emerging sectors before an international audience of investors, policymakers, and development partners.
“These are not prototypes confined to laboratories. They are scalable, investable solutions—real technologies designed to tackle pressing challenges in healthcare, food security, finance, and sustainable energy,” Raji noted.
Among the standout innovations are Bra-X, a smart wearable designed for early breast cancer detection; a multi-patient ventilator capable of serving six people simultaneously; and AI-controlled drones engineered for precision farming and pest control. Others include affordable clean energy models targeted at underserved communities and next-generation fintech platforms to advance inclusive finance.
According to Raji, London’s role as a global capital hub and meeting point for venture capitalists, industry leaders, and policymakers makes it the ideal launchpad. The city, he said, offers Nigerian innovators access to diaspora investors seeking to reinvest back home, while also opening doors to European markets and cross-border partnerships.
The event will also feature high-level project showcases, including Interface Africa, the Ogoni Land Renewal Initiative, and the $1 billion Innovate Africa Israel/BIPVco Solar Project, which Raji described as a scalable model for sustainability and impact. Another highlight will be the announcement of selected coastal areas of Lagos as “the world’s safest innovation and leisure destination.”
International innovation ecosystems will also take the spotlight, with Germany’s SpinLab, Innovate UK, Zumah FinTech, and the Commonwealth Roundtable slated for participation. The guest list includes distinguished figures such as Uche Nnaji, Nigeria’s minister of innovation, science and technology; Shambhu Pokharel, CEO of Tesla Group Europe; and Victor Kitange, economic adviser at the Commonwealth Group.
Raji also acknowledged the support of Nigerians at home and abroad, citing Air Peace chairman Allen Onyema, state governors, the National Assembly, and UKALD London among the partners who have helped steer the initiative.
In what he called a milestone in NBTI’s digital transformation journey, Raji also unveiled the NBTI Global App,a platform designed to connect Nigerian innovators with diaspora markets, global investors, and African entrepreneurs worldwide.
“With this, the world will not just consume technology from elsewhere while Nigeria lags behind.We are showing that Nigeria is not exporting talent alone but exporting solutions,amplifying ideas from Africa to the world,”he said.
The NextGen Innovation Challenge, according to Raji, marks more than just a showcase; it signals Nigeria’s determination to claim a seat at the global innovation table.
“This is Nigeria’s innovation renaissance,” he stated, while also noting “We will not stop until our youth are fully recognised as global creators, not just consumers, of transformative technology.”
