
Nigeria Innovation Summit 11.0
October 6, 2026
Time: 9am - 5pm
Shell Hall, Muson Centre, Lagos.
The best and brightest minds in the innovation ecosystem in Nigeria gather at NIS. Come meet and network with key stakeholders across reputable local and international organisations for that life-changing connection.
NIS isn’t your regular event. Hear from great speakers & leaders and derive valuable insights to unlock your next opportunities. Experience loads of programme activities you don’t want to miss out on. Come pumped.
Don’t miss the chance to elevate. Your next employer or business partner may be sitting right next to you at NIS. You will also engage policy-markets directly, and strike your long overdue private-public partnerships.
NIS is an annual event that brings together stakeholders from different sectors of Nigeria’s economy and players in the tech and innovation ecosystem to discuss ground-breaking ideas, trends, and opportunities to innovate solutions that solve unique challenges in Nigeria and Africa.
NIS is an initiative led by InnovationHub Africa, a leading driver and promoter of technology and innovation in Africa. We engage and collaborate with the world’s top innovation ecosystems around the world in driving innovation in Nigeria and beyond.
Over the last 14 years, we have been championing technology development in Nigeria through the Techtrends Africa blog, the African Innovation Academy, amongst several other initiatives.
NIS 2026 will kick-off with a press parley, where media organisations, press partners, and reputable journalists will have a roundtable with the event conveners, partner organisations and sponsors for this year’s edition.
Key questions about the event’s objectives will be addressed, and key sponsors will be highlighted during the media parley sessions.
The Nigeria Innovation Summit 2026 will bring stakeholders from different sectors of Nigeria’s economy to share ideas, trends, and opportunities around technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship development and explore opportunities on both national and continental levels.
Nigeria Innovation Experience Talks (NiX Talks) is one of the major hallmarks of the Summit. This series of highly intense talks will feature truly innovative minds disrupting the status quo in their various industries.
One of the hallmarks of NIS is the Nigeria Innovation Awards, where we recognise outstanding organisations and individuals for their innovative impact and contributions in the Nigeria innovation ecosystem.
The 2026 Nigeria Innovation Awards will be graced by high-level executives, founders, government delegates, parastatals, government parastatals, and other key industry leaders, decision-makers, and stakeholders moving the needle that impacts the industry at scale.
The event promises meaningful conversations, friendship formation, deals closure, business exchange, high-value network and more.
The Innovation Tour is where selected Summit delegates will visit highly innovative organisations to deepen the conversation and relationship with those bringing true innovation and disruption into the Nigerian and African innovation ecosystem.
Key partners, supporting organisations, sponsors, startups, innovators, some delegates, alongside the NIS team will tour tech experience centers in Nigeria.
Governor, Lagos State
Governor, Lagos State
Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s dream is to see a Lagos where everything becomes smart. A tech-lover, emotionally intelligent, and a committed leader who is doggedly passionate about Greater Lagos.
A B.Sc. and MBA graduate from the University of Lagos. He is also an alumnus of the John F. Kennedy School of Government, the London Business School and the Lagos Business School. Before he became the governor, he was the Managing Director/CEO of Lagos State Property Development Corporation (LSPDC).
He is an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) and fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Training and Development (NITAD).
He is a tech-lover, listening governor who is strongly committed to taking Lagos to a greater height.
Before governance, he was at United Bank for Africa as the Head of Foreign Money Market; and First City Monument Bank as a Deputy General Manager/ Divisional Head. BOS is the 15th Executive Governor of Lagos State.
EVC/CEO, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)
EVC/CEO, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)
Dr. Aminu Maida is the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). He was appointed into office on the 11th of October 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
His appointment was subsequently confirmed by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Thursday, November 16, 2024, in line with the provisions of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA), 2023.
Dr. Maida is a highly accomplished technology executive with extensive experience spanning across the telecommunication and payments industries. Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Maida has consistently demonstrated his expertise in leading cutting-edge innovations, managing cross-functional teams, and driving growth for businesses in competitive markets.
With a solid academic background, Dr. Maida holds a Ph.D. in Electrical & Electronic Engineering from Bath University, UK, a Masters in Engineering in Information Systems Engineering from Imperial College London, as well as a Post Graduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship from Cambridge Judge Business School. His educational credentials have played an instrumental role in shaping his ability to tackle complex technical challenges and devise robust, future-proof strategies.
Before assuming his current role as the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the NCC, Dr. Maida held key positions in prominent organisations. He served as the Executive Director, Technology and Operations at the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement Systems PLC (NIBSS), overseeing the organization's day-to-day operations and IT infrastructure. Prior to this, he held the position of Chief Technology Officer at ARCA Payments Network, a leading Nigerian FinTech firm. His career trajectory also includes roles at British Telecoms as a Lead Consultant and at the Mobility Group, Cisco Systems UK.
Dr. Maida's technical prowess is further evidenced by the numerous patents he holds to his name in the areas of wireless communications and self-organising networks. He is an active participant in industry conferences and forums, where he shares his insights and experience with fellow professionals. He is committed to the ongoing advancement of technology in the telecommunication and payments sectors, mentoring young professionals, and contributing to research that shapes the future of these industries.
Throughout his career, he has successfully managed teams of engineers, developers, and researchers, fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment. His expertise in strategic planning, business development, technology transformation, and project management have contributed significantly to the growth and expansion of the companies and organisations he has worked with.
As Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Aminu Maida has set out to deliver optimal value to the three categories of stakeholders of the Commission: The Consumers; the Licensees/ Industry; and the Government. His vision focuses on fostering growth in the telecoms sector as a catalyst for broader economic development, enhancing industry resilience, and prioritizing consumer satisfaction by improving service quality and experience.
The five drivers that underpin his leadership at the Commission are: the People—who he acknowledges as the biggest assets of the Commission; Collaboration; Data-driven decision-making; Compliance and Digitisation.
CEO, Collabwith
CEO, Collabwith
Jara Pascual is the CEO of Collabwith, EuroSpaceHub, and QuantumGob. She is the author of the book, "Innovation and Collaboration in the Digital Era". Jara is a board member at K4I in the European Parliament and secretary general at AMIT MIT.
Her company, Collabwith is a software to manage tech and knowledge transfer, collaborate business-academia-startups, a digital academy for innovation, managing communities for innovation, and with a marketplace with European funding and technology.
Jata’s methods are used at universities for innovation leadership and entrepreneurship. Besides developing software SaaS. Jara is a consultant for governments, regions, ecosystems, universities, and professionals.
She is a telecom engineer and MBA with a mission to break barriers to access to knowledge and efficient collaboration for positive innovation with creativity and resilience.
CIO, NNPC Limited, Research, Technology & Innovation (RTI)
CIO, NNPC Limited, Research, Technology & Innovation (RTI)
Engineer Rasheed O. Ojulari is the Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) of NNPC Limited, leading the Research, Technology & Innovation (RTI) Division—the company’s enterprise-wide innovation hub.
He drives NNPC’s innovation agenda, advancing emerging technologies and converting research into measurable business value across the energy value chain.
In this role, he oversees applied research, digital innovation, and commercialization initiatives spanning upstream, midstream, downstream, gas, power, new energy, and non-energy businesses, while building strategic partnerships with academia, technology providers, startups, and global innovation ecosystems.
Based at the RTI Nexus in Abuja, Engineer Rasheed O. Ojulari works closely with executive leadership to deliver scalable, value-driven innovation aligned with NNPC Limited’s strategy and national energy priorities.
Co-founder/COO, Koolboks
Co-founder/COO, Koolboks
Deborah Gaël is the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Koolboks, a climate-tech company providing solar-powered refrigeration solutions to off-grid and underserved communities across Africa and emerging markets. Since co-founding the company in 2018, she has led its expansion into more than 25 countries, scaling innovative cooling and financing solutions that support small businesses, reduce food waste, and improve livelihoods.
Under her leadership, Koolboks has built strategic partnerships with global organizations such as Danone and Orange Energies, positioning the company at the intersection of clean energy, fintech, and last-mile distribution. Her work focuses on unlocking opportunities in emerging markets by leveraging technology, data, and inclusive business models to drive sustainable growth.
Koolboks was recently recognized by Fast Company as one of the Most Innovative Companies, highlighting its contribution to transforming access to sustainable cooling solutions globally.
Originally from the Caribbean, Deborah’s early exposure to the impacts of climate change shaped her commitment to advancing access to clean and affordable energy solutions globally. She brings prior experience from leadership roles at BNP Paribas and American Express, combining strong operational expertise with a global perspective on energy access and market expansion.
Deborah has been recognized among VivaTech’s Top 10 Female Founders and contributes actively to the global clean energy ecosystem. She serves on the board of La French Tech Lagos, where she fosters cross-border collaboration and champions greater inclusion of women in technology, sustainability, and innovation.
Founder, SounDisruptr & African Food Network
Founder, SounDisruptr & African Food Network
Kevin Eze is a Pan-African entrepreneur, music marketing strategist, and cultural architect with over 15 years of experience scaling ventures across Africa’s music, tech and food industries.
He is the Founder and CEO of SounDisruptr, one of Africa’s leading music marketing agencies, having worked with 200+ artists across 17 countries and powered over 174 million streams. He is also the Founder of SounDisruptr University, which has trained 5,000+ independent artists across the continent.
Kevin is the Founder of the African Food Network, a pan-African food culture community reaching two million people globally, and the creator of the African Food & Drinks Festival, a two-time winner of the World Culinary Award for Africa’s Best Culinary Festival (2024 and 2025). A Project Engineering graduate of FUTO and holder of a Diploma in Strategic Management from IBMI Berlin, Kevin is based in Lagos, Nigeria.
Founder/Principal Consultant, Iwà Consulting
Founder/Principal Consultant, Iwà Consulting
Olufunke Olufon believes that the most powerful force for change is a story told with precision, purpose, and truth. A strategic communications leader, TEDx speaker, and published author, she has spent more than two decades shaping narratives that strengthen institutions, elevate community voices, and build public trust across Africa and the global development ecosystem. At the heart of her work is a simple but radical idea: that storytelling is not a soft skill but an innovation in itself, one with the power to shift systems, change behaviour, and drive lasting social impact.
Her career spans philanthropy, government engagement, and social impact, where she has advised senior leaders navigating reputation risk, policy communication, and complex stakeholder environments. What sets her practice apart is its rootedness in Africa's development landscape and in the lived realities that influence behaviour and social norms, not just the frameworks designed to change them.
As Founder and Principal Consultant of Iwà Consulting, Olufunke partners with governments, development institutions, and values-driven organisations to translate strategy into communication that moves people, from policy actors to grassroots communities. She is known for distilling complexity into clarity and designing communication frameworks that are culturally grounded, emotionally intelligent, and practical across diverse contexts.
Her TEDxLagos talk, "How Citizen Narratives Can Sustain Democracy," captures the heart of her work: that lasting change begins when institutions stop speaking at communities and start creating the conditions to genuinely hear them. Across her writing, advisory work, and facilitation, she continues to champion narrative as infrastructure for social change.
Olufunke holds a Master of Arts in International Relations and Diplomacy from Seton Hall University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Tufts University. She has completed executive education in Public Narrative: Leadership, Narrative and Change at Harvard Kennedy School and holds certifications in Marketing Strategy from Cornell University and Project Management from PMI. A French Language Certificate from the Institut Universitaire de Langue et de Cultures Françaises rounds out a formation built, like her practice, across borders and disciplines. She serves as a Trustee on the Board of The Bloom Africa, a non-profit harnessing the collective power of African and diaspora women and girls to catalyse transformative change.
At the 2026 Nigeria Innovation Summit, Olufunke will take the NiX Talks stage to explore how storytelling, when wielded with intention, becomes one of the most underestimated drivers of innovation and social impact.
Group CEO, Zilex Holdings & Hostplace Group
Group CEO, Zilex Holdings & Hostplace Group
Engr. Alex Omaghomi is a Nigerian engineer and business leader specializing in the delivery of large-scale, high-impact Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) projects across Sub-Saharan Africa and the United Kingdom.
As Group Chief Executive Officer of Zilex Holdings and Hostplace Group, he leads a diversified portfolio spanning EPC civil and infrastructure engineering, large-scale agro-processing and agribusiness systems, premium real estate development, oil and gas support services, and strategic international trade.
Under his leadership, the group has contributed to the development of critical infrastructure and value-chain investments that support economic growth, industrialization, and sustainable development across multiple sectors.
Engr. Alex has received several recognitions for his contributions to business and national development, including being named among The Guardian Nigeria's 50 Distinguished Nigerians of Merit. He was also honored by the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) in recognition of his support and sponsorship of NBCC Energy Day.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Telecommunication Engineering from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana, and an MBA from the University of South Wales, United Kingdom.
Beyond his corporate responsibilities, Engr. Alex serves as Deputy Director, Delta State, of the City Boy Movement (CBM), where he supports youth mobilization, civic education, and grassroots engagement. His involvement in civic and policy advocacy complements his professional work and reflects his belief that sustainable national development is achieved through the strategic alignment of enterprise, public policy, and effective leadership.
I travelled from Port Harcourt to attend the Nigeria Innovation Summi...Read More
I travelled from Port Harcourt to attend the Nigeria Innovation Summit in Lagos, which proved to be a game-changer for me. Apart from the fun and connections with the high-networth individuals I had, I gained valuable insights from industry experts, which shifted my mindset from being a consumer to being a creative problem-solver. Since then, I've seen personal growth every day. I highly recommend the NIS to any young person or individual who wants to make a positive impact. I'm eagerly looking forward to attending again!

The NIS experience was remarkable, especially the interactive session...Read More
The NIS experience was remarkable, especially the interactive session with Microsoft African Development Centre engineers and developers during the Innovation Tour. The digitalisation of almost everything from sign-in to sign-out at the PWC Experience Centre makes the whole event a memorable one. I have learned a lot and I meet with different people within and outside the country. It is honour to be part of this innovative and educative Summit. Kudos to the founder and the organising team.

NIS has been one of the summits where invention is seen and not just ...Read More
NIS has been one of the summits where invention is seen and not just seen but heard, positively changing its environment to what it should be and for me exposure has been my great impact from all my attendance in the summit. My advice for you all is be expectant for the best, and be open to networking. You are definitely going to meet great men and women of value.

Attending the NIS last year was an enlightening experience that intro...Read More
Attending the NIS last year was an enlightening experience that introduced me to the transformative world of cryptocurrency/blockchain technology. The summit highlighted how innovation is revolutionizing different sectors, and emphasizing the crucial role these advancements play in helping SMEs thrive in a dynamic ecosystem. I eagerly await future editions.

My experience at NIS 2023 is still a memorable one. I must admit it w...Read More
My experience at NIS 2023 is still a memorable one. I must admit it was an eye-opener for me to step up my game from playing local and small gigs to international and big gigs in my career, business, and relationships with people. For this year's attendees, my advice for you is to come prepared to learn. Most importantly, be confident enough to network with as many people as you can because you never can tell who the big fish your hook might be lucky to catch is.

My experience with NIS has been transformative, opening up unparallel...Read More
My experience with NIS has been transformative, opening up unparalleled opportunities, networks, and collaborations that have significantly accelerated my professional growth and creative capabilities. Working with the NIS team has sharpened my expertise and passion for innovation, leading to the launch of my pet project, RIM (Research-Innovate-Motivate), which aims to spotlight talent and drive impactful research initiatives.

NIS is an annual flagship event that brings together innovators, entrepreneurs, government leaders, investors, and ecosystem builders to discuss technology trends, share ideas, and foster collaborations that drive sustainable innovation in Nigeria and across Africa.
NIS is open to a wide range of participants, from startup founders, business owners, tech professionals, policymakers, corporate leaders, investors, and researchers to anyone interested in innovation, digital transformation, and building impactful solutions in the ecosystem.
The Summit is typically held once a year in Nigeria, with activities running throughout the day. This hybrid event is also streamed live on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@openinnovationnigeria or search for Open Innovation Nigeria
Yes, attendance is completely free—and by registering in advance, you’ll secure your seat, gain full access to all Summit materials, and be part of the shared moments, conversations, and activities that make the experience truly special.
NIS provides a strategic opportunity for your company or organisation to amplify and showcase your innovative solutions to a target audience. This will help to further drive home your business goals and increase your brand visibility across our broad network, and every news platform covering the event.
At NIS, you can expect insightful innovative presentations by thought leaders, innovation showcases & workshops, the Nigeria Innovation Experience Talks (NiX Talks), networking opportunities, innovation tours, the Nigeria Innovation Awards, and more. The event is designed to help you learn, connect, and explore growth opportunities.
Shell Hall, Muson Centre, Lagos Island, Lagos.
Programme and Sponsorship Info
Call: +234-805-140-3056, +234-816-634-9134
Email: [email protected]
Attendance is free.
However, only registered delegates gain access. Register now!
Programme and Sponsorship Info
Call: +234-805-140-3056,+234-816-634-9134
Email: [email protected]
Muson Centre is nested within the Lagos Island, Lagos.
Kindly explore “View Larger Map” on the map to get there.
Programme and Sponsorship Info
Call: +234-805-140-3056, +234-816-634-9134
Email: [email protected]