BRICS Inclusion: A Gateway to Global Markets for Nigerian Innovators, Says NBTI Chief
Nigeria’s membership in the BRICS offers local inventors “unprecedented” access to international markets and direct connections to a group that accounts for nearly 40% of the world’s population and billions of dollars in trade, according to Kazeem Raji, director-general of the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI).
BRICS stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, and it is a strong coalition of developing nations. Offering a forum for political and economic collaboration among poor countries, the group has been progressively acquiring international recognition.
In January, Nigeria was accepted into the bloc as a partner nation.
Raji gave a speech at the “National showcase: Nextgen innovation challenge 2025” in Abuja on Wednesday.
The National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) and UKALD are managing the Nextgen Innovation Challenge 2025, a national showcase program designed to find, assist, and highlight Nigeria’s most promising innovators in key industries.
Nigeria is taking the lead, he claimed, and the innovation challenge “sent a message loud and clear” that “Nigeria is not just catching up.”
“Each and every submission is a vote of confidence in the future we are creating—a future written by Nigerians, for Nigeria, and for a world that desperately needs fresh ideas,” Raji continued.
According to him, the national showcase of the NextGen Innovation Challenge 2025 is a game-changing platform designed to showcase Nigerian talent and bring indigenous solutions to the world’s attention.
Our National Showcase theme, ‘Igniting Indigenous Ingenuity: Nigerian Solutions, Global Impact,’ perfectly encapsulates the spirit of this event. It’s not merely a catchphrase,” he stated.
This strong, unwavering, and determined statement asserts that Nigeria’s moment to lead with innovation has here.
“I want to thank His Excellency for his visionary leadership. President Bola Ahmed
The revitalized hope agenda of Tinubu, GCFR, lays out a daring route from reliance to innovation and from consumption to production.
With the renewed hope agenda, the Nigeria first policy, and now Nigeria’s historic membership in the BRICS economic alliance as its pillars, Nigeria is experiencing a bold and purposeful transformation under the visionary leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
These are platforms—not merely alliances and policies—that are intended to boost our domestic talent, fortify our sovereignty, and propel a new era of development driven by innovation.
“You, the pioneers, are the living evidence that Nigeria’s most valuable asset is found inside our people, not underground.
Nigeria’s first policy is a strong demand to focus on local solutions for both domestic and international problems.
Nigerian products are valuable, Nigerian innovators deserve to be at the forefront, and Nigerian ideas are important. You now work in an environment that is purposefully being shaped in your favor, with policy changes, development funding, and government assistance all geared toward empowering indigenous inventors, builders, thinkers, and creators.
Nigeria’s membership in BRICS also gives you access to a global market that has never been possible before, connecting you to a multilateral bloc that together accounts for nearly 40% of the world’s population and trillions of dollars in commerce and investment.
This is your access to new alliances, new sources of capital, new export prospects, and innovative cooperation with other entrepreneurs in developing nations.
“Ideas to transform industries are in the minds of Nigerian innovators.”
Nigerian innovators have answers that may change lives, according to Uche Nnaji, minister of innovation, science, and technology, who urged the private sector and foreign organizations to invest in them.
“I strongly advise you to fund these trailblazers. He stated, “What you see today is just a taste of what Nigeria has to offer.”
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“Not only do these young men and women have ideas, but they also have solutions, blueprints, and scalable products that have the power to change industries and change lives.”
According to Nnaji, more than 3,000 innovative submissions were submitted for the challenge from the 36 federation states as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“Out of this amazing talent pool, 74 finalists have emerged—each one a testament to the creativity, bravery, and genius that characterize the Nigerian spirit,” he continued.
Under the federal government’s renewed hope agenda, he pointed out, innovation is vital to national growth and governance.
The minister stated, “For this reason, we are investing in digital transformation, increasing access to science and technology education, and reorganizing our innovation ecosystem to cut down on red tape and create avenues for funding, mentorship, and market access.”
“We are currently witnessing the tangible results of that vision. Nigeria is not just consuming technology, but also producing it, as demonstrated by our young innovators in fields such as clean energy, agritech, fintech, edtech, artificial intelligence, and deep tech.
His ministry is dedicated to expanding assistance for idea-to-market transitions and bolstering innovation hubs nationwide, he reaffirmed.
During Saturday’s 17th BRICS conference, Tinubu stated that emerging and low-income economies should be included and treated fairly in international financial institutions.
