Kano, Abia, Ogun, Oyo, Akwa Ibom and Abuja have entered a new innovation pipeline designed to strengthen businesses and entrepreneurs across six priority sectors, as the Nigeria Innovation Cluster Exchange (NICE) opens applications for its Pipeline Clinics.
The programme is targeting businesses and innovators in agro-processing, manufacturing, health, minerals and cybersecurity, with the organisers seeking to move beyond generic entrepreneurship training to address specific challenges within each cluster.
Under the initiative, Kano will focus on agro-processing, Abia and Ogun on manufacturing, Oyo on health, Akwa Ibom on minerals, while Abuja will serve as the cybersecurity cluster.
NICE is implemented by The Nest Innovation Technology Park in partnership with the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub under the UK Government’s Digital Access Programme, with collaboration from the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI).
The initiative comes after initial desk and field research conducted by the programme mapped innovation activities, stakeholders and opportunities across the six locations.
The Pipeline Clinics are expected to provide participants with support in innovation management, access to facilities and potential partners, prototyping, partnerships and peer learning.
The programme is also bringing in Experts-in-Residence from the United Kingdom to provide specialised support in areas including innovation strategy, incubation models and technology validation.
Nigerian ecosystem leaders will similarly participate in reciprocal learning opportunities with UK innovation clusters, creating a two-way exchange of knowledge between the two ecosystems.
‘Strong local innovation clusters are essential to unlocking Nigeria’s economic potential. Through the NICE Pipeline Clinics, we are equipping entrepreneurs and businesses with the practical tools, networks, and support needed to strengthen their competitiveness, address local challenges, and scale sustainable solutions,’ the FCDO/UK-Nigeria Tech Hub said.
Oluwajoba Oloba, co-founder of The Nest Innovation Technology Park, said the initiative would help strengthen Nigeria’s organic innovation ecosystem through collaboration between government, institutions and international partners.
‘With NICE, we are forging a bridge to strengthen our organic innovation ecosystem, leveraging the years of collaboration between the Government of Nigeria and His Majesty’s Government. The goal is to reflect what is possible when knowledge sharing goes hand in hand with available Government resources and partnership with institutions,’ Oloba said.
The programme is targeting Nigerian-owned or Nigeria-based businesses and enterprises with an existing business, startup, prototype, product, service or clearly defined business model.
Applicants must operate within, support or demonstrate strong relevance to one of the six priority clusters and have a clear business challenge, growth opportunity or development need that can be addressed through the programme.
Businesses demonstrating growth potential, innovative products or services, market traction, expansion opportunities, investment readiness and job-creation potential may receive priority.
The programme also requires selected participants to commit the necessary time, provide relevant business information for assessment and apply the learning and recommendations generated through the clinics.
The broader objective is to address fragmentation within Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem, where startups, research institutions, entrepreneurship support organisations and innovation hubs often operate independently.
NICE plans to move beyond the Pipeline Clinics into collaborative innovation sprints, bringing participating clusters together with Nigerian and UK partners to develop and validate solutions around identified challenges.
These activities are expected to produce collaborative prototypes or proof-of-concept projects that can be further developed by participating businesses and institutions.
The initiative also provides for Cluster Coordinators and Cluster Councils to support local ownership, coordination and continuity after the pilot phase.
This means the programme is designed not only to provide short-term business support but also to create a structure through which the six clusters can continue collaborating after the initial intervention.
Applications for the Pipeline Clinics are now open to eligible entrepreneurs and businesses operating across the six priority clusters.