The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI), Dr. Kazeem Kolawole Raji, has declared telecommunications 6G and artificial intelligence integration a strategic priority as he unveiled the NextGen Innovation Challenge 2026 in Abuja.

Speaking at a world press conference on Thursday in Abuja, Raji described the initiative as “a defining national platform designed to accelerate innovation, mobilise investment, and position Nigeria as Africa’s undisputed innovation powerhouse.”

He aligned the programme with the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stating that the President’s “bold economic reforms” and belief that “innovation is the new oil” have “redefined the architecture of national development.”

“Under his Renewed Hope Agenda, Nigeria is transitioning deliberately and strategically into a knowledge-driven economy, one powered not merely by natural resources, but by intellectual capital, technological advancement, and entrepreneurial ingenuity,” he said.

Emphasising the statutory role of the agency, Raji noted that the board “stands as the Federal Government’s foremost technology incubation agency and the only government institution statutorily mandated to commercialise research and development outcomes, inventions, and innovations.”

He stressed the board’s bridging role, declaring, “We serve as the bridge between research and the marketplace—moving ideas from laboratories to livelihoods, from prototypes to products, and from concepts to commercial success.”

He officially announced the launch of the NEXTGEN Innovation Challenge 2026,” describing it as “not merely a competition” but “a national development catalyst and a global innovation diplomacy platform.”

According to him, the initiative “is designed to accelerate transformative ideas into scalable, investment-ready ventures” and will feature boot camps in Abuja and a grand finale in London.

Highlighting its global scope, Raji explained that NextGen 2026 is “a global, multi-hub innovation platform with stronger capital mobilisation, mentorship, and market access,” with international showcases in Doha and London.

On sectoral focus, he said the challenge would prioritise “high-impact innovations with minimum viable products in future-defining sectors critical to national and global development,” specifically listing “Telecommunications (6G and AI integration)” among key areas.

Other priority sectors include artificial intelligence and robotics, advanced semiconductors and digital infrastructure, green and renewable energy, climate resilience technologies, and gender-inclusive innovation.

Raji said the initiative aims to “mobilise significant domestic and international capital” and “move innovators beyond pitch decks to market-ready products,” while institutionalising NextGen as a year-round innovation platform.

He added that the expected outcomes include “increased number of investment-ready startups,” “tangible capital commitments and international partnerships,” and “enhanced commercialisation of indigenous technologies.”

Issuing a call to stakeholders, he urged universities to make commercialisation “central to academic excellence” and told investors that “Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem is ready for structured capital and strategic collaboration.”

“To our young innovators and students: Your ideas are national assets. The future is yours to build,” he said.

Raji declared that the initiative “reflects the institute’s conviction that Nigeria’s greatest resource is not beneath the ground, it is within the minds of our people,” adding that the goal is to entrench Nigeria as “Africa’s innovation powerhouse and a respected contributor to the global knowledge economy.”

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