Since assuming office as the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI), Dr. Kazeem Kolawole Raji has embarked on an ambitious transformation of the agency, repositioning it from a conventional technology incubation institution into one of the Federal Government’s leading drivers of innovation, entrepreneurship, renewable energy and industrial development.
The transformation reached another milestone on Thursday in Abuja with the National Showcase of the NextGen Innovation Challenge 2026 and the official launch of the Tinubu Light Initiative (TLI), two flagship programmes that reflect the agency’s new direction under Raji’s leadership.
Under Raji, the NextGen Innovation Challenge has grown into one of Africa’s most credible innovation platforms, creating a national ecosystem that discovers innovators, nurtures entrepreneurs, supports start-ups, attracts investors and accelerates the commercialisation of indigenous technologies.
The initiative has already delivered measurable results. According to Raji, one of the programme’s innovators secured a £1.5 million investment commitment, while several agricultural innovations emerging from the competition are improving productivity, strengthening food security and enhancing rural livelihoods in Kaduna, Bauchi and other parts of Nigeria.
The 2026 edition has also surpassed previous records, attracting thousands of entries from innovators across renewable energy, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, healthcare, manufacturing, education, agriculture, financial technology and climate technology, demonstrating NBTI’s expanding national reach.
In another landmark achievement, Raji unveiled the Tinubu Light Initiative, a nationwide programme designed to provide affordable renewable energy to one million Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The initiative is expected to create over 50,000 direct jobs, reduce business operating costs, encourage local manufacturing, promote clean energy adoption, accelerate financial inclusion, reduce carbon emissions and strengthen Nigeria’s position as Africa’s leading green innovation economy.
Beyond launching new programmes, Raji has strengthened NBTI’s institutional capacity by leveraging its nationwide network of Technology Incubation Centres to identify talent, mentor innovators, facilitate technology transfer, connect innovators with investors, commercialise research and transform ideas into wealth-generating enterprises.
His administration has also expanded NBTI’s global footprint through strategic partnerships with UKALD, the British High Commission, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other international organisations. The collaboration has elevated the NextGen Innovation Challenge into a platform with Commonwealth-wide prospects, opening international markets, research collaborations and investment opportunities for Nigerian innovators.
Under Raji’s leadership, NBTI has also become more investment-driven, actively positioning itself as a bridge between innovators and venture capitalists, angel investors, development partners and industry leaders, while reducing investment risks through technology commercialisation support.
The agency has equally renewed confidence among its workforce, with Raji publicly acknowledging the contributions of directors, centre managers and staff nationwide, whom he credited with transforming NBTI into an institution focused on excellence, innovation and national development.
Raji said the agency’s long-term vision is to build a resilient, innovation-led economy by unlocking talent, empowering entrepreneurs, creating wealth, strengthening indigenous technology and positioning Nigeria among the world’s leading innovation economies.
