Enter For An Award
About The NIS Award
The Nigeria Innovation Award celebrates innovators, startups, companies, institutions, and public-sector leaders who are using innovation to move Nigeria forward, while championing a strong culture of innovation across every key sectors of the economy.
This online registration form formally confirms your intent to participate in the Nigeria Innovation Awards 2026 and attests to your compliance with the stated eligibility criteria.
The Objective of the Awards
The objective of awards aligns with the mission of the Nigeria Innovation Summit—to promote and celebrate Nigerian innovations while spotlighting bold ideas, emerging trends, and transformative solutions.
Through the awards, we aim to inspire innovation, drive economic growth, and advance sustainable development by showcasing outstanding companies, innovative ideas, and innovators across critical sectors of Nigeria’s economy.
Our Aim
- Recognize and celebrate Nigeria’s leading innovators and breakthrough innovations.
- Raise awareness of cutting-edge innovations shaping the future of Africa.
- Inspire a strong culture of innovation and help build vibrant, connected innovation ecosystems across Nigeria.
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Category
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Focus
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Telecommunications & Digital Infrastructure Innovation Award
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Broadband expansion, rural connectivity, affordability, and digital inclusion.
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Smart transport, eco-friendly buildings, construction tech, and sustainability.
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Manufacturing & Industrial Innovation Award
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AI adoption, local content, automation, export readiness, and productivity gains.
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Energy Transition & Power Innovation Award
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Renewables, mini-grids, clean energy access & storage, and climate impact.
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Emerging Technologies & Deep Tech Innovation Award
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AI, blockchain, data science, robotics, IoT, quantum research, and frontier technologies with real-world deployment.
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AgriTech & Food Systems Innovation Award
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Precision agriculture, food security, agri-finance, smart supply chains, and climate-smart farming.
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Banking, FinTech & Financial Services Innovation Award
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Digital banking, financial inclusion, SME financing, payment innovation, and customer experience.
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HealthTech & Life Sciences Innovation Award
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Telemedicine, diagnostics, digital health records, biotech, and healthcare access.
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University Innovation & Research Excellence Award
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Commercialization of research, industry collaboration, startup spin-offs, and tech transfer.
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Digital Commerce & Retail Innovation Award
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Logistics, payments, last-mile delivery, social commerce, and MSME enablement.
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Creative, Media & Entertainment Innovation Award
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Nollywood tech, music-tech, creator economy, gaming, AR/VR, and digital storytelling.
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Startup of the Year (Nigeria)
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Traction, innovation, scalability, impact, and national or continental relevance.
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Social Impact & Inclusive Innovation Award
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Education, gender inclusion, disability access, poverty reduction, and community impact.
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Innovation Ecosystem Builder of the Year
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Accelerators, hubs, NGOs, corporates, and platforms strengthening Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.
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Innovator of the Year
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Bold leadership, originality, national impact, and sustained contribution to the innovation ecosystem.
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Young Innovator of the Year (Under 30)
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Creativity, problem-solving, and early impact.
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Public–Private Partnership (PPP) Innovation Award
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For collaborations delivering measurable national or regional impact.
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Women-Led Innovation of the Year
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Celebrates female founders and leaders driving change.
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Indigenous Technology & Local Content Innovation Award
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Homegrown solutions built for Nigerian realities.
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Digital Skills & Talent Development Innovation Award
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Platforms and organisations building Nigeria’s future workforce.
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Most Innovative State Government in Nigeria
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Policy reforms, digital governance, ease of doing business, smart infrastructure, innovation funding, and startup support.
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Most Innovative Federal or State Government Ministry, Department, or Agency (MDA)
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Service delivery transformation, digitization, citizen experience, and measurable impact.
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Benefits
– Recognition that your idea, innovation, and company/establishment truly deserve.
– A strategic learning experience gained by benchmarking against other outstanding innovations and forward-thinking companies.
– An objective and credible assessment by a distinguished panel of experienced jurors.
– Recognition of excellence with an awards plaque and the opportunity to celebrate a meaningful milestone.
– A pathway to further commercialize your ideas and unlock real market opportunities.
– Enhanced media and social media visibility, valuable publicity, and sustained attention across key platforms, for the finalists.
Eligibility & Participation
– Participation is open exclusively to Nigerians and Nigeria-based enterprises.
– Entries are welcome from both individuals, startups and established companies, and participation is free.
– You are to submit only a single entry per award category, and MUST NOT enter for more than two award categories.
– Multiple nominations for the same nominee within any organizational award category are not allowed.
– Self-nominations are permitted.
– All entries must be submitted through this page only.
– The deadline for submissions is July 31st, 2026.
Judging Criteria
The judging and evaluation criteria are based on the comprehensive parameters outlined below:
- Innovation & Originality
- Impact & Results
- Scalability & Sustainability
- Execution & Operational Excellence
- Problem Relevance, Local Context, & Wealth Creation
- Ethics, Accessibility, & Inclusion ((gender, youth, underserved communities)
- Impact on Citizens & Service Delivery
- Innovation & Digital Transformation
- Execution & Institutional Capacity
- Sustainability & Policy Alignment
- Inclusion & Accessibility
How To Participate
The first step is to complete the online registration form, where individuals or enterprises can formally express their interest in participating in the awards. Following submission, the jury will review all entries and assess their eligibility for shortlisting.
The Jury
The submissions will be judged by a stellar panel that will evaluate each entry. They apply a clear and transparent judging framework that builds confidence and trust in the process. This framework ensures the Awards are credible, data-driven, and globally respected.
After July 31, 2026, all entries will be presented to the panel of judges for evaluation. Following the review, shortlisted entrants who made it to the final list will be contacted directly.
The judging panel will recommend the final winners, who will be formally recognized at the awards ceremony during the 2026 Nigeria Innovation Summit 2026.