The National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) has announced a major international partnership with the University of Toronto in Canada ahead of the 2026 edition of the NextGen Innovation Challenge. The collaboration is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem, deepening global research ties, and attracting more investment into Nigerian startups.
The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NBTI, Dr. Kazeem Raji, disclosed this on Tuesday while addressing a world press conference in Abuja. The briefing was held to mark one year of what he described as innovation-driven transformation at the agency.
According to Raji, the partnership with the University of Toronto, one of the world’s leading research institutions, will play a key role in advancing research collaboration, artificial intelligence development, health innovation, and the commercialisation of new and emerging technologies under the NextGen Innovation Challenge platform.
He explained that the University of Toronto will work closely with NBTI to connect Nigerian innovators with global research expertise and modern innovation practices. The goal, he said, is to ensure that ideas developed in Nigeria can compete effectively on the global stage.
“The involvement of the University of Toronto signals strong international confidence in the quality of innovators emerging from Nigeria,” Raji said. “It provides a direct bridge between cutting-edge academic research and market-ready innovation.”
He added that the partnership would also involve African Impact Initiatives, an organisation focused on impact investment and development-driven enterprise growth. According to him, African Impact Initiatives will help align investment capital with startups emerging from the NextGen platform to ensure both commercial success and social impact.
Raji noted that the combined support from the University of Toronto and African Impact Initiatives would position the 2026 NextGen Innovation Challenge as a transcontinental framework. This framework, he said, would link African innovators with North American research excellence and global investment networks.
The NextGen Innovation Challenge is an initiative designed to identify, support, and scale high-potential Nigerian startups. It does this through structured incubation programmes, mentorship, capacity building, and preparation for investment. The platform targets young entrepreneurs and innovators working in areas such as technology, healthcare, energy, agriculture, and digital services.
Since its launch, the NextGen Innovation Challenge has become one of Nigeria’s flagship innovation programmes. It is part of NBTI’s broader mandate to promote technology incubation and entrepreneurship across the country.
NBTI operates under the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and manages a network of technology incubation centres nationwide. These centres provide startups with workspace, training, mentoring, and access to funding opportunities.
Raji explained that the new Canadian partnership builds on the success and global visibility achieved by the NextGen Innovation Challenge in 2025. During that edition, Nigerian innovators were showcased in London, drawing attention from international investors, partners, and technology experts.
He said the 2025 edition attracted thousands of applications from innovators across Nigeria, reflecting growing interest in the programme. Several startups from that cohort secured investments ranging from $50,000 to $250,000.
One of the major success stories from the previous edition was Interface Africa, a Nigerian clean-energy company, which secured £1.5 million in investment. Raji described this as a clear example of how the NextGen platform can connect Nigerian solutions to global funding opportunities.
According to him, the achievements of the 2025 edition helped position Nigeria as a serious player in the global innovation space. He said the NextGen model has since gained international recognition and has been adopted in some Commonwealth countries.
Raji added that the platform has also attracted engagement from global institutions interested in supporting innovation in emerging markets. This, he said, further reinforces Nigeria’s growing reputation as a hub for technology and entrepreneurship in Africa.
Looking ahead to the 2026 edition, Raji said expectations are high. He listed key goals, including an increase in the number of investment-ready startups, stronger and measurable capital commitments from investors, and greater global visibility for Nigerian innovations.
He also stressed the importance of building sustainable collaboration models that involve the public sector, private investors, and international partners.
“The Canada partnership reinforces NBTI’s strategic vision of positioning NextGen not as a regional initiative, but as a globally integrated innovation platform,” he said. “Our aim is to produce ventures that can compete and scale on the world stage.”
Raji explained that the focus areas for the 2026 edition will include artificial intelligence, health technology, clean energy, and other frontier technologies that can solve real-life problems and create jobs.
He noted that Nigeria’s large youth population and growing digital skills base give the country a strong advantage in innovation, but added that access to funding, research support, and global markets remains a major challenge for many startups.
By partnering with institutions like the University of Toronto, NBTI hopes to close this gap and give Nigerian innovators access to world-class research facilities, mentors, and investors.
The announcement comes at a time when Nigeria is pushing to diversify its economy and reduce reliance on oil revenue. Innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship are seen as key drivers of future growth, job creation, and competitiveness.
Government officials have repeatedly stressed the need to support startups and small businesses, especially those using technology to address challenges in healthcare, education, energy, and agriculture.
Raji said NBTI remains committed to creating an enabling environment for innovation through policy support, capacity building, and international partnerships.
As preparations begin for the 2026 NextGen Innovation Challenge, many young innovators across Nigeria are expected to apply, hoping to benefit from the expanded global network and increased investment opportunities.