The Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAEng) is calling for entries for the 3rd edition of its National Innovation Competition.
This call is for submission of innovative works by individuals or groups in any discipline or aspect of Engineering, including but not limited to the following: ICT / Telecommunications, Agriculture & Food Processing, Energy & Energy Transition, Renewables, Infrastructure Development, Health & Health Management, Waste Management and Environmental Protection, Transportation, Mining & Mineral Processing, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics, Climate Change and related Ecological Challenges, Manufacturing, etc.
The submissions will be in the following two (2) Stages:
Stage 1: Submission of Concept Note
Prospective participants are to submit Concept Notes of their innovations within eight (8) weeks, from Monday, October 20 to Friday, December 19, 2025. The Concept Notes should include the following:
- Brief description of the innovation and the particular problem(s) that it addresses or solves.
- Societal and economic benefits of the innovation.
- Brief description of the engineering processes that it covers.
- Degree of development of the prototype (how far has it been developed).
- Sketches, photographs, drawings and other illustrations that can aid the understanding of the innovation.
- Profiles of the key participants and/or organisations.
Submissions shall not be more than 20 A4 pages at this stage of the competition and shall be in pdf format.
Submissions for Stage 1 will be screened to assess the degree and level of innovation, engineering content, originality, and relevance to our national development. Only participants who are short-listed from Stage 1 will proceed to Stage 2.
Stage 2: Submission of Full Proposal
Participants who are short-listed from Stage 1 will be given one (1) month to further develop their innovations for Stage 2 of the competition. Details for Stage 2 submissions will be provided at the end of Stage 1. This second Stage will run from Thursday, January 15 to Friday, March 13, 2026.
The public announcement of winner(s) of the competition shall be made in June 2026.
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Eligibility and Boundaries
The Nigerian Academy of Engineering sets clear entry rules for the NAEng Innovation Competition.
The Competition is guided by the following:
- Open to all Nigerians except Fellows of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering.
- Open to Engineers, Scientists, Technologists, Technicians and Craftsmen and other professionals involved with engineering creativity.
- Collaborative works are accepted and encouraged.
- Entries must address National Problems and Challenges.
- Entries must have identifiable Engineering Content
- Nomination can be by third parties or self.
How to Apply. Step by Step Guide
Apply to the Nigerian Academy of Engineering through the NAEng Innovation Competition using the steps below.
• Develop a complete Concept Note
• Convert the document to PDF format
• Confirm page limit compliance
• Send submission by email to info@nae.ng
• Use a clear subject line indicating competition entry
• Submit before Friday, December 19, 2025
All entries for stage 1 should be sent by email to info@nae.ng not later than Friday, December 19, 2025.
Benefits of the Program
The Nigerian Academy of Engineering designed the NAEng Innovation Competition to support growth beyond awards.
Selected innovators receive the following.
• Cash prizes
• Public recognition at national level
• Promotion of winning concepts to investors
• Certificates and plaques
• Support toward scaling viable innovations
The Competition which is open to all Nigerian Engineers, Scientists, Technologists, Technicians and Craftsmen, and other professionals involved with engineering and scientific creativity, is aimed at identifying, encouraging and rewarding innovative works in science, engineering and technology that address and solve societal problems in Nigeria.
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The winning innovations will be further assisted to scale up their innovations by promoting them to investors. Prizes will include Cash, Public Recognition, Promotion of Winning Concepts to Investors, Certificates and Plaques.
