NASENI Launches Inter-Agency Innovation Challenge to Drive Local Technology Solutions
Nigeria’s push for indigenous industrialisation and technology-led governance has entered a new phase as National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) launches a landmark Inter-Agency Innovation Competition & Awards for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The initiative is designed to unlock practical, locally developed solutions from within the public service—positioning innovation not as an abstract ideal, but as a measurable tool for improving governance, productivity and national competitiveness.
Innovation as Public Sector Strategy
At its core, the competition reflects NASENI’s statutory mandate to “develop and maintain a dynamic infrastructure to drive Nigeria’s indigenous industrialisation, job creation and national progress.” But this programme goes further—shifting innovation ownership directly to public servants who best understand the operational challenges facing government.
By targeting MDAs, the agency is effectively transforming the civil service into a national innovation laboratory, where technology, science and creativity intersect with policy execution.
What the Competition Seeks to Achieve
The Inter-Agency Innovation Competition is structured to:
- Stimulate practical, deployable solutions to persistent national challenges
- Encourage cross-MDA collaboration, breaking silos that limit efficiency
- Promote a culture of innovation within the public sector
- Accelerate technology adoption in public service delivery
MDAs are invited to submit innovative proposals across critical sectors including healthcare, agriculture, education and infrastructure, with a strong emphasis on solutions that leverage science, engineering and technology to deliver real-world impact.
Why This Matters for Nigeria
For decades, Nigeria’s innovation narrative has focused heavily on the private sector and startups. NASENI’s initiative deliberately rebalances that narrative—recognising that government itself must be an engine of innovation, not merely a regulator.
The programme signals:
- A move away from imported solutions towards locally engineered alternatives
- A recognition that policy effectiveness improves when innovation is internal
- A strategic effort to build institutional innovation capacity, not just one-off ideas
In effect, the competition aligns innovation with governance reform—making creativity a core competency of the Nigerian state.
How MDAs Can Participate
All MDAs are invited to submit entries via the official NASENI innovation portal. Submissions are expected to demonstrate:
- Clear problem definition
- Technological or scientific relevance
- Practical implementation pathways
- Measurable benefits to public service delivery and citizens
This approach ensures that innovation is judged not only on originality, but on scalability, sustainability and national value.
BRANDECONOMY Insight
This initiative marks a subtle but powerful shift in Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem. By embedding innovation incentives within government institutions, NASENI is laying the groundwork for policy-driven industrialisation, where ideas move seamlessly from desks to deployment.
If sustained and transparently executed, the programme could redefine how Nigeria solves public-sector challenges—turning MDAs into solution hubs, not bottlenecks.
This initiative is promoted by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Nigeria’s apex agency for driving indigenous science, engineering and industrial development.
