The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure has launched FutureMakers, a national innovation programme aimed at equipping Nigerian children aged five to 16 with the skills, confidence, and mindset to develop solutions to real-world problems, as part of a long-term strategy to strengthen the country’s innovation pipeline.
The programme was unveiled at the NASENI Innovation Hub in Abuja, bringing together government officials, education stakeholders, innovation leaders, partners, and the media. The initiative signals a renewed focus on early-stage innovation development, with an emphasis on nurturing creativity, problem-solving, and design-thinking skills from a young age.
At the launch, NASENI said the programme reflects the belief that countries that lead in innovation deliberately invest in young people early. According to the agency, exposing children to innovation processes at a formative stage helps build lifelong creators and problem-solvers capable of shaping national development in the decades ahead. FutureMakers, NASENI noted, is not a one-off intervention but part of a broader national plan to build a steady pipeline of innovators who can drive Nigeria’s technological and industrial future over the next 30 to 50 years.
The agency described FutureMakers as a transformational platform designed to change how Nigerian children engage with creativity and innovation. The programme will identify, nurture, and empower young innovators, supporting them to turn ideas into early prototypes and future-ready solutions. Beyond competition, NASENI said the initiative is structured as a national movement to cultivate innovative thinking and prepare children to develop commercially viable solutions that can strengthen Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.
To ensure inclusivity, FutureMakers will be implemented nationwide through NASENI institutes across the six geopolitical zones, allowing children from all states to participate. Registration opened on December 11, 2025, and will close on January 11, 2026. The evaluation and shortlisting process is scheduled for January 12 to 16, followed by zonal hackathons from January 26 to 30. The programme will culminate in a national innovation finale on February 14, 2026.
During the hackathons, participants will be taken through design-thinking sessions, hands-on innovation training, mentorship, and pitching exercises. Outstanding participants will benefit from financial rewards of up to N5m, scholarships, innovation coaching, mentorship opportunities, membership of NASENI Innovation Clubs, access to incubation and acceleration programmes, and an international study tour for top finalists. NASENI said these pathways are designed to help ideas generated during the program progress into viable prototypes, solutions, and early-stage ventures.
The agency called on parents, teachers, schools, and education administrators to actively support children by promoting awareness, guiding idea development, and encouraging participation. It stressed that children do not need to wait until adulthood to create meaningful solutions, noting that many global innovators started with simple ideas and the willingness to try.
FutureMakers is positioned as a national effort to inspire creativity and develop foundational engineering, problem-solving, and innovation skills among young Nigerians. By encouraging children to identify challenges in their communities and build practical solutions through structured national activities, NASENI aims to lay the groundwork for a more innovative, self-reliant, and future-ready Nigeria.
