The Anambra State Government has awarded an additional ₦2.5 million matching grant to its InnovateNaija state champion, increasing total financial support to ₦5 million to promote indigenous innovation, technology development and youth empowerment.

The grant was presented at the InnovateNaija and Future Makers Awards held at the State House in Abuja on October 7.

Governor Chukwuma Soludo was represented at the ceremony by Chinwe Okoli, his Special Adviser on Innovation and Business Incubation and Chief Executive Officer of the Solution Innovation District (SID). Okoli delivered a goodwill message on behalf of the state government.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was represented by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh.

Organised by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), the event brought together government officials, innovators, researchers, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders to celebrate Nigerian ingenuity and advance technology-driven development.

Other dignitaries included the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande; Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe; and NASENI Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Khalil Suleiman Halilu. Representatives of AfriLabs and NARDA also attended.

In her goodwill message, Okoli reaffirmed Anambra’s commitment to creating an environment where innovators can turn their ideas into practical solutions, sustainable businesses and employment opportunities.

She presented the ₦2.5 million matching grant to the state’s InnovateNaija champion, bringing the total support to ₦5 million.

The funding aligns with Anambra’s broader efforts to strengthen its innovation ecosystem through the Solution Innovation District, a flagship initiative supporting Soludo’s “Everything Technology, Technology Everywhere” agenda.

“Building a thriving innovation economy requires celebrating ideas, building infrastructure, forging strategic partnerships, creating access to finance, and enabling policies that translate innovation into viable businesses, jobs and real-world solutions,” Okoli said.

The awards ceremony also featured the distribution of more than ₦400 million in cash prizes to innovators, researchers and Future Makers across several categories.

These included the Future Makers Recognition and Awards, NASENI inter-agency and intra-agency innovation awards, and the unveiling of state and national InnovateNaija winners.

The event underscored the contribution of indigenous research, engineering, technological advancement and youth-led innovation to economic development.

For Anambra, the ceremony offered an opportunity to highlight its efforts to develop local talent and build partnerships that can help innovators secure funding, advance their ideas and compete in broader markets.

The state government reiterated its commitment to building an innovation-driven economy in which homegrown ideas deliver practical solutions, create jobs and support sustainable development.

SOURCE: MSME Africa Online