22/05/2026
🎙️ EXCLUSIVE
In a powerful new interview with BusinessDay, Nanko Madu, Director of Programmes at AfriLabs, breaks down how is transforming grassroots inventors into factory-floor leaders, and why this moment matters for Nigeria's manufacturing future.
🔑 Key insights from the conversation:
✅ Over 2,000 applications received • 133 finalists selected across all 36 states + FCT
✅ ₦250M+ prize pool: State winners get ₦2.5M (some states matching to ₦5M); Grand Prize: ₦100M
✅ Winners gain access to NASENI Innovation Hubs, labs, equipment, and engineering expertise across Nigeria
✅ Post-challenge pipeline: Top innovators advance to NASENI Xceler8 for commercialization support
✅ Public voting is LIVE, and your vote helps validate market demand before funding
"InnovateNaija is designed to change behavior, not just distribute capital. We're building a pipeline of industrial entrepreneurs, not grant beneficiaries." -Nanko Madu
🗳️ Your vote shapes Nigeria's innovation future. One vote. One innovator. One chance to back the solution you believe in.
👉 Vote now: Bit.ly/NASENI-VL
1️⃣ Select your state
2️⃣ Watch the pitches
3️⃣ Click VOTE
4️⃣ Get instant confirmation
Read the full interview: https://bit.ly/4dC5rjt