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Applications are open for the NITDA-Tech Revolution Africa Builders Festival 2026, a programme connecting Nigerian startups with government agencies, corporations, investors and other institutions looking for technology solutions to real operational challenges.
The programme is looking for startups with ready-to-deploy products, rather than ideas that are still at the research or pre-product stage.
Selected startups can be matched with institutions that have identified technology needs, pitch their solutions, explore pilot contracts and investment opportunities, and participate in a deal room at the Digital Nigeria International Conference 2026 in Abuja.
Applications close on October 5, 2026.
About the Builders Festival
The Builders Festival is powered by Tech Revolution Africa in partnership with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
The programme is built around a problem-solution matching model. Government agencies, corporations and other institutions submit operational challenges, while participating startups are matched with challenges their products can address.
The organisers say the programme has a target ₦3 billion investment and contract pipeline, involving venture capital, angel investment and government innovation support.
The festival is expected to culminate in live deal-room sessions during the Digital Nigeria International Conference 2026, where matched startups can discuss potential pilot agreements and MoUs with institutions.
Who Can Apply?
The Builders Festival is open to Nigerian-registered startups at MVP stage or beyond.
Applicants must have at least one of the following:
- A live user
- An active pilot
- A paying client
The organisers specifically state that idea-stage and pre-product startups are not eligible.
Product maturity is a key part of the selection process. Startups are expected to have solutions that are already in use or sufficiently developed for deployment.
What Types of Startups Are Wanted?
Startups can apply if their technology addresses one or more of the institutional challenges identified by the programme.
Areas currently listed on the application portal include:
- GovTech and digital identity
- DeepTech and telecommunications infrastructure
- Supply chain compliance
- EdTech and institutional operations
- FinTech and open banking
- Cross-border payments and trade
- HealthTech and civic infrastructure
- Smart infrastructure
- AI
- Cloud and data
- AgriTech
- Connectivity
The application form includes specific challenges such as digital civil registration, AI customs risk profiling, satellite connectivity, SME finance and supply-chain visibility, cross-border payment dashboards, patient identity systems, vaccine supply-chain visibility and IoT road maintenance verification.
What Does the Programme Offer?
Direct Market Access
Selected startups can be matched with MDAs, corporations and other institutions that have already identified a need for a technology solution.
This gives founders an opportunity to present an existing product directly to potential institutional customers rather than approaching organisations without a defined need.
Investment and Pilot Opportunities
The programme advertises a ₦3 billion investment and contract pipeline involving venture capital, angel investment and government innovation support.
Startups can indicate in their application whether they are seeking:
- Equity investment
- Pilot contracts
- Both
The application form also asks applicants to provide information about current or previous pilot partners.
Deal Room
Matched startups will have an opportunity to participate in deal-room sessions during the Digital Nigeria International Conference 2026.
The organisers say the sessions are designed to allow startups and institutions to discuss potential pilot agreements or MoUs.
Masterclasses
The programme also includes intensive masterclasses covering areas such as:
- Product development
- Engineering
- Go-to-market strategy
- Product-aware engineering
- Building for national-scale infrastructure
- Pilot execution
The stated aim is to help startups strengthen products and make them more suitable for institutional deployment.
How Are Startups Selected?
The organisers say applications will be assessed using three main criteria:
Market Traction
The startup should already have evidence that its product is being used in the market.
Team Resilience
The assessment considers whether the technical team can support integration and deployment at larger scale.
Product Maturity
The programme is looking for ready-to-deploy solutions, rather than products that are still at the research stage.
Shortlisted startups will then be matched with institutions based on the alignment between their products and the challenges submitted by those institutions.
The organisers say applicants should receive a decision within 10 business days of the deadline.
What You Need to Apply
The online application form requires startup and product information, including:
- Registered company name
- Brand name
- Founder/CEO details
- CTO or technical lead details
- LinkedIn profiles
- Email and phone number
- Product stage
- Sector
- Institutional challenge the product addresses
- Product name
- Solution type
- Description of the product
- Key features and functions
- API integration capability
- Market launch status
- Number of active users
- Current or past pilot partners
- Funding or pilot requirements
Applicants must also upload a pitch deck. The application portal currently allows files up to 2MB in PDF, PowerPoint, Word, Excel and selected image formats.
How to Apply
Interested founders and startups can apply through the official Builders Festival application portal.
Application portal:Apply for NITDA-Tech Revolution Africa Builders Festival 2026
Applicants should clearly demonstrate the problem their product solves, its current market use, product maturity and the specific institutional challenge they can address.
Application Deadline
Successful startups are expected to participate in the Digital Nigeria International Conference 2026, scheduled for November 10–12, 2026, in Abuja.
Key Details
Programme: NITDA-Tech Revolution Africa Builders Festival 2026
Powered by: Tech Revolution Africa in partnership with NITDA
Who can apply: Nigerian-registered startups
Required traction: At least one live user, active pilot or paying client
Focus: Technology solutions for real institutional challenges
Opportunities: Market access, pilot contracts, investment opportunities, masterclasses and deal-room sessions
Target investment/contract pipeline: ₦3 billion
Application deadline: October 5, 2026
Digital Nigeria 2026: November 10–12, 2026
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Business
Oyo Executed Only 17.5% of Agricultural Capital Budget in Five Years – SWOFON
The Smallholder Women Farmers Organisation Network (SWOFON), in partnership with the International Budget Partnership (IBP), has called on the Oyo State Government to improve agricultural budget execution and translate approved funds into tangible support for women farmers.
The call was made during the launch of the IBP-SWOFON SPARK II Policy Brief and campaign in Ibadan.
Presenting the findings, Dr Jide Bamgbose of the Justice, Development and Peace Commission revealed that Oyo State recorded the lowest agricultural capital budget execution among five states assessed between 2021 and 2025.
According to the policy brief, agriculture received an average of 3.27% of Oyo State’s total budget, while only 17.5% of approved agricultural capital funds were disbursed and executed during the period.
SWOFON State Coordinator, Mrs Atinuke Akinbade, said the spending gap continues to affect smallholder women farmers who contribute significantly to food security but face challenges including limited access to public support and secure land.
The organisation also disclosed that none of the priorities contained in Oyo women farmers’ 18-point Charter of Demands was linked to specific, traceable budget lines.
This contrasts with Jigawa State, where gender priorities were incorporated into formal budget lines and agricultural capital budget execution reached 65.9%, according to the brief.
Representatives of state and federal agencies at the launch called for evidence-based advocacy and stronger data collection.
Mrs Abimbola Agbaje of the Oyo State Ministry of Agriculture said legislative and policy discussions were ongoing to address customary land inheritance barriers and promote a market-driven “grow to sell” approach.
Officials from the Ministry of Environment and Federal Ministry of Agriculture also urged SWOFON to develop a comprehensive database of its members and farm sizes to strengthen future engagements with policymakers.
Business
NAICOM, NIA Urge Industry to Leverage Recap Cash for Growth
Nigeria’s insurance industry must translate theN1.079 trillion raised through recapitalisationinto stronger underwriting capacity, faster claims settlement, innovation and increased public confidence, industry leaders have said.
The Commissioner for Insurance and Chief Executive Officer of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, and Chairman of the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA), Ebelechukwu Nwachukwu, made the call at the BusinessDay Insurance Conference 2026 in Lagos.
The conference, themed “From Capital to Capacity: Driving Growth, Innovation and Trust in Nigeria’s Insurance Sector,” focused on the next phase of the industry following the completion of the recapitalisation exercise under the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025.
Omosehin said recapitalisation should not be viewed as an achievement on its own, noting that its value would ultimately be measured by how effectively the additional capital strengthens the industry’s ability to serve policyholders and support Nigeria’s economic development.
“Capital without capacity is merely a number on a balance sheet,” he said.
He said insurers must now demonstrate that the additional capital has improved underwriting, claims-paying ability, customer satisfaction and public confidence.
The comments signal a shift in focus for the insurance sector from the amount of capital raised to how the stronger financial position can translate into better services, innovation and broader insurance coverage.
Business
Ogun Secures $7bn Investment to Create Over 50,000 Jobs
LATEST HEADLINES
President Bola Tinubu yesterday expressed optimism that the proposed Gateway Deep Seaport and Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone would transform the economic landscape of Ogun State and strengthen Nigeria’s capacity for maritime trade, manufacturing and exports.
Tinubu spoke in Paris, France, where he witnessed the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between the Ogun State Government and DP World MEA FZE for the development of the two projects, which are expected to attract more than $7 billion in initial investment and create over 50,000 direct jobs when fully developed.
The President described the agreements as more than a ceremonial commitment, saying they represented the beginning of an integrated economic corridor linking maritime infrastructure with industrial production, logistics, energy and transportation.
“We are doing more than signing agreements; we are laying the foundation for a new chapter in Nigeria’s development,” Tinubu said.
The projects, according to the President, are intended to address longstanding constraints around port congestion, inadequate draft capacity and logistics bottlenecks that have raised the cost of doing business in Nigeria.
The Gateway Deep Seaport, planned for Ogun Waterside, will have a proposed 4-kilometre berth and an 18-metre draft, which Tinubu said would enable it to accommodate larger, deeper-draft vessels while helping to decongest the Lagos port corridor.
Tinubu specifically identified Apapa and Tin Can Island ports as beneficiaries of the additional capacity, saying the Ogun facility would reduce costs and delays for importers and exporters.
Beyond serving as a port, Tinubu said the project would provide a competitive trade and logistics gateway for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCTA), giving Nigeria an opportunity to serve a continental market of approximately 1.4 billion people.
The proposed 10,000-hectare Blue Marine Special Economic Zone, he added, would complement the port by providing an industrial base for manufacturing, processing and export-oriented activities.
“Within the zone, imported inputs will be transformed into finished goods, Nigerian raw materials will be processed for export and, most importantly, our young men and women will find dignified, productive and sustainable employment,” he said.
Tinubu said the relationship between the two projects was central to their economic significance, stressing that the port was being conceived as part of an integrated industrial ecosystem rather than simply a cargo-handling facility.
“A port moves cargo; a port integrated with a special economic zone helps to build an economy. Each reinforces the other,” he said.
The President also identified the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as critical to the commercial viability of the emerging corridor.
According to him, the 28-kilometre Ogun section of the 700-kilometre highway, scheduled for completion before the end of the year, would provide a vital transport link between the port and zone, Lagos, the Nigerian hinterland and the wider African market.
“Without reliable access, the coastline’s economic potential would remain difficult to realise,” he said.
Tinubu further linked the projects to the proposed Nigerian Navy Operating Base and Dockyard and the OK LNG Project, saying the developments would form part of a wider strategic corridor connecting maritime infrastructure with Nigeria’s energy and gas-export ambitions.
He said the agreements brought together vision, expertise, capital and execution capacity, while specifically welcoming DP World as a global port and logistics operator.
The President also acknowledged Sky Capital, the financial advisers, investors and other partners involved in bringing the projects to the agreement stage.
But Tinubu stressed that the signing must be followed by implementation, saying the federal government would hold itself and all parties accountable. “Today we make firm commitments; from tomorrow, implementation must gather pace,” he said.
“Agreements must lead to action; commitments must translate into investment; investment must deliver projects; and projects must create jobs, opportunity and prosperity,” he added.
He said the more than $7 billion initial investment envisaged for the projects, together with the projected creation of over 50,000 direct jobs at full development, would make the initiative a practical expression of the federal government’s economic diversification and industrialisation drive.
“This is economic diversification made tangible. This is industrialisation made visible. This is Renewed Hope in action,” he said.
Tinubu commended Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, for securing the land, structuring the investment framework and reducing project risks for global investors.
He described the initiative as an example of cooperative federalism, with a subnational government providing the vision and the federal government facilitating projects with wider national economic implications.
He assured investors that the federal government would provide regulatory clarity and policy stability, facilitate road, rail and power connectivity, strengthen investment security and the maritime domain, and remove unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles.
Earlier, Abiodun described the signing as a defining moment in the economic history of Ogun State and Nigeria’s engagement with the global economy.
The governor said the deep seaport vision had remained largely unrealised for more than three decades, crediting Tinubu with providing the political leadership that had helped move the project from aspiration towards reality.
“It has taken the foresight, courage and dogged leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to move it from aspiration to reality,” Abiodun said.
He commended the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, the Nigerian Ports Authority and other federal institutions for their support, saying the project demonstrated alignment between the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Ogun State’s development programme.
Abiodun said the deep seaport was part of a wider strategy to deepen trade, attract investment, improve connectivity and strengthen Nigeria’s maritime economy.
“Our ambition is not merely to berth ships. We are building a gateway for Ogun and Nigeria’s productive strength to reach Africa and the world,” he said.
The governor said the project would stimulate small and medium-sized enterprises, strengthen supply chains, expand export capacity and attract foreign direct investment, while creating opportunities across maritime services, logistics, manufacturing and technology.
He also described the Blue Marine Special Economic Zone as a platform for capital, technology, innovation and talent, pointing to DP World’s Jebel Ali Free Zone as an example of the potential of integrating ports, logistics and special economic zones.
Abiodun said the development would form part of a wider multimodal infrastructure network incorporating the Gateway International Airport, dry ports, the coastal highway and the deep seaport. He, however, stressed that the real test would be implementation.
“History will judge us not by the elegance of documents signed, but by the transformation that follows. Ceremonies proclaim intentions; only implementation creates prosperity,” he said.
Abiodun assured DP World and other partners that Ogun was ready for business, partnership and delivery, while stressing the importance of host-community participation, environmental sustainability and security.
Aside from Tinubu and Abiodun, the signing was witnessed by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Abubakar Dantsoho, alongside representatives of DP World, Sky Capital and other partners.
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