By Abiodun Folarin
WorldStage– The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has commenced the final pitching stage of its maiden intra- and inter-agency innovation competition, with more than ₦160 million in commercialization support grants at stake for the most outstanding innovations.
The two-day exercise, which began on August 5 at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja, brings together finalists from across the NASENI system and Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), whose projects are being assessed by independent experts for technical excellence, commercial viability and their potential to address national development challenges.
Speaking at the opening of the exercise, NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, said the initiative is a strategic intervention aimed at institutionalising innovation within the public sector while accelerating the commercialization of indigenous technologies.
Halilu said the agency is building an innovation ecosystem that encourages collaboration, knowledge sharing and strategic support to transform promising ideas into commercially viable products, businesses and industries.
He noted that countries that have achieved sustainable industrial growth invested consistently in innovation, engineering excellence and local manufacturing.
“Nigeria is blessed with abundant talent and creativity. What is required is a system that can identify innovative ideas, support their development and transform them into sustainable industrial capabilities,” he said.
According to him, NASENI has repositioned itself from a research-driven institution to one focused on delivering measurable industrial outcomes through indigenous technology development, strategic partnerships and commercialization initiatives.
He added that the innovation competition is more than an awards programme, describing it as part of the agency’s strategy to build a sustainable pipeline of indigenous innovations capable of creating industries, generating employment and driving economic growth.
Halilu said NASENI’s transformation agenda is anchored on three pillars—Creation, Collaboration and Commercialization—with emphasis on ensuring innovation creates value, improves lives and contributes meaningfully to Nigeria’s economy.
Earlier, Chairman of the Steering Committee on Innovation Assessment and Awards and Director of Manufacturing Services, Engr. Dr. Olayode Olasupo, said the competition serves as a platform for identifying and promoting innovative solutions with strong national development potential.
He disclosed that entries were received from diverse fields, including engineering, science, finance, information and communications technology (ICT), renewable energy, product packaging and other technology-driven sectors.
According to Olasupo, all submissions underwent rigorous technical assessments before qualifying for the final pitching stage, where they will also be evaluated for scalability, practical relevance and commercial potential.
In a goodwill message, Professor Teddy Tigina of Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja, and Chief Medical Director of the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Otukpo, Benue State, said research and innovation must ultimately deliver measurable benefits to society.
He described the quality of entries as evidence of the significant innovation capacity within Nigeria’s public service and assured participants that the assessment process would be conducted with fairness, objectivity and scientific integrity.
Providing an overview of the competition, Engr. Dr. Okesola Abayomi said the initiative was designed to harness innovative ideas from NASENI and the wider Federal Public Service and channel them into sustainable commercialization pathways.
He disclosed that 678 users registered on the innovation portal, while 261 completed entries were received, comprising 180 submissions from the NASENI system and 81 from participating MDAs.
Abayomi explained that all submissions were subjected to blind technical evaluation by independent experts to ensure transparency and fairness, resulting in the emergence of 10 finalists each from NASENI and participating MDAs.
The competition will culminate in the selection of the three best innovations in each category, with NASENI providing over ₦160 million in commercialization support grants to accelerate the development and market adoption of the winning innovations.
