NBTI Teams Up with University of Toronto to Take Nigerian Tech Global in 2026 NextGen Challenge

Nigeria’s tech ecosystem is set for a massive global upgrade following a new partnership between the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) and the University of Toronto, Canada. The deal, announced on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, positions the upcoming 2026 NextGen Innovation Challenge as a transcontinental bridge for Nigerian startups.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the Director General of NBTI, Dr. Kazeem Raji, revealed that the collaboration with the top-tier Canadian university will provide Nigerian innovators with direct access to advanced research in Artificial Intelligence and healthcare. This move aims to turn local ideas into market-ready products that can compete on the world stage.

The partnership comes at a time of significant growth for the agency, which recently secured its own financial independence through a 4 percent slice of the National Development Levy. This steady funding allows NBTI to move beyond short-term projects and focus on long-term breakthroughs.

The success of the NextGen model has already caught the attention of the international community. The Commonwealth of Nations has officially adopted the framework to be used across all 56 member states, with the first international rollout scheduled for Barbados and Antigua later this year.

“We are not just exporting talent; we are amplifying African solutions,” Dr. Raji stated, noting that the 2025 challenge successfully secured over 1.5 million in funding for a local clean-energy firm. With the University of Toronto now on board, the 2026 challenge is expected to attract even more global impact investors and research excellence to Nigeria’s brightest minds.