Anambra State Government has increased financial support for its InnovateNaija champion, raising the total award to ₦5 million at a national innovation ceremony in Abuja, where more than ₦400 million was awarded to innovators, researchers and young technology developers.
The commitment was announced at the 2026 InnovateNaija and Future Makers Awards Ceremony, organised by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) at the State House, Abuja, to promote home-grown technological solutions and strengthen Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.
Representing Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, the Special Adviser on Innovation and Business Incubation, Chinwe Okoli, delivered a goodwill message and presented the state’s matching grant to its InnovateNaija State Champion, bringing the combined federal and state support to ₦5 million.
Okoli reaffirmed the state’s commitment to an innovation-driven economy through Soludo’s Everything Technology, Technology Everywhere agenda, which seeks to expand technology adoption, develop digital skills and support enterprises that can contribute to economic growth.
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She highlighted the Solution Innovation District (SID), the state’s flagship innovation platform, as a key component of efforts to develop digital talent, support startups and help indigenous innovators transform their ideas into viable businesses capable of competing in national and international markets.
Okoli said building a sustainable innovation economy required more than recognising promising ideas, stressing the need for infrastructure, strategic partnerships, access to finance and enabling policies to help innovators commercialise their solutions, create jobs and address practical challenges.
The ceremony featured the Future Makers Recognition and Awards, NASENI inter-agency and intra-agency innovation awards, and the unveiling of state and national InnovateNaija winners.
More than ₦400 million in cash prizes was awarded across the programme’s categories, highlighting the growing emphasis on indigenous research, engineering and youth-led technological development.
President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Udeh, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to promoting innovation and developing home-grown technological solutions to advance Nigeria’s industrialisation.
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Mr Khalil Halilu, urged the award recipients to continue developing innovations that address everyday challenges facing Nigerians, emphasising the importance of practical applications of science and engineering to national development.
The event brought together government officials, researchers, entrepreneurs and representatives of innovation organisations, including the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, and the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, alongside leaders of AfriLabs and the National Association of Research and Development Agencies.
Anambra’s support forms part of its broader effort to link innovation with enterprise development, employment generation and economic competitiveness.
Through the Solution Innovation District and related digital-economy programmes, the state aims to strengthen support for local innovators and turn indigenous ideas into market-ready solutions, contributing to Nigeria’s wider drive for technology-led industrial growth.
