The National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) says it has unlocked investment and development-finance pipeline exceeding $600 million through international partnerships, including a $500 million solar-energy partnership and a $100 million financing memorandum of understanding (MoU).
The Director-General of NBTI, Dr Kazeem Raji, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during a news conference on the outcomes of the NextGen Innovation Challenge 2026, which showcased 298 Nigerian innovators from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Raji said the number of innovators showcased increased from 105 in the previous year to 298 in 2026.
Raji said the proposed investment pipeline comprises two international arrangements: a solar-energy partnership with Gigawatt Global to support Nigerian tertiary institutions and a financing MoU with Cambridge Investors.
According to Raji, the $100 million financing MoU is intended to support President Bola Tinubu’s Light Initiative, which targets one million micro and small businesses nationwide.
Raji said international support for the innovation ecosystem also includes grants for women innovators, foreign acceleration programmes and leadership scholarships.
He said NBTI’s responsibility was to help translate the opportunities and frameworks into bankable projects with transparent implementation and verifiable results.
The NBTI director-general urged private-sector investors and development partners to deepen their engagement with Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.
The proposed investment pipeline comes amid broader government and private-sector efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem, expand access to financing and develop technology talent.
In July 2026, the Bank of Industry signed a $170.06 million fund-management agreement with Kuramo Capital Management under the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) Programme to channel financing to startups and high-growth businesses in Nigeria’s technology and creative sectors.
