Tinubu Light Initiative Targets 1m Nigerian MSMEs

The National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) has launched the “Tinubu Light Initiative” (TLI), a renewable energy programme designed to provide affordable clean energy solutions to one million micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria.

The launch is part of efforts to drive industrial growth, create jobs and strengthen the country’s innovation ecosystem.

At the national showcase of the “NextGen Innovation Challenge 2026” and launch of TIL in Abuja, the director-general and chief executive officer of NBTI, Dr Kazeem Kolawole Raji, said the initiatives was a defining milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards becoming one of the world’s leading innovation-driven economies.

Raji said the programme aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Nigeria First Policy, noting that they reflected the administration’s commitment to innovation, technology commercialisation and enterprise development.

“The NextGen Innovation Challenge and the Tinubu Light Initiative are practical expressions of Mr President’s vision for a Nigeria that rewards innovation, empowers enterprise, creates wealth and competes confidently on the global stage,” he said.

According to him, the Tinubu Light Initiative will deploy innovative financing models, strategic partnerships and renewable energy technologies to reduce energy costs for small businesses and improve productivity nationwide.

He said the initiative is expected to create more than 50,000 direct jobs, encourage local assembly of renewable energy equipment, reduce carbon emissions and enhance economic inclusion, particularly for women and young entrepreneurs.

“The Tinubu Light Initiative goes beyond electrification. It is an industrial policy, an employment strategy, a poverty reduction programme and a platform for inclusive economic growth,” Raji stated.

The NBTI boss said the 2026 edition of the NextGen Innovation Challenge recorded thousands of applications from innovators across sectors including renewable energy, agriculture, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, healthcare, manufacturing, financial technology and climate technology.

He stressed that the response demonstrated Nigeria’s vast pool of talent and reinforced the need to build stronger platforms for commercialising indigenous innovations.

He also commended the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UKALD, the British High Commission, the Commonwealth Secretariat and other development partners for supporting Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.

According to him, these partnerships are connecting Nigerian innovators with international investors, research institutions, technology companies and new global markets.

Raji urged investors, development partners and innovators to work together to transform research into industries and ideas into commercially viable enterprises.