The Federal Government has launched NATImart, a strategic digital marketplace platform designed to expand Nigeria’s export capacity, empower small businesses, and generate over $1 billion in value-added economic activity.
Gatekeepers News reports that Dr. Kazeem Kolawole Raji, Director-General and CEO of the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI), announced the platform during a press briefing marking one year of his leadership.
According to Raji, NATImart will allow Made-in-Nigeria products to reach diaspora and international buyers, creating thousands of jobs, increasing SME participation in global markets, and giving Nigerian innovators direct access to international demand.
“When fully operational, the platform is projected to facilitate over US$1–5 billion in annual transaction volume, with the potential to contribute over US$1 billion or more in value-added economic activity through exports, services, logistics, and digital trade,” Raji said.
“In addition to export growth, the platform is expected to support thousands of jobs, strengthen SME participation in global markets, and improve access to international demand for Nigerian talents and products.”
The platform marks a shift from event-based innovation programmes to permanent commercial infrastructure, complementing initiatives such as the NextGen Innovation Challenge, which has showcased Nigerian innovators on international stages and secured millions in investments.
Raji highlighted other key achievements during his tenure, including the statutory allocation of 4% of the National Development Levy to NBTI through the Tax Reform Acts 2025, providing the agency with predictable, independent funding for long-term planning.
He also cited improvements in the agency’s legal foundation via the NATI Bill, the introduction of computer-based testing for promotions, and enhanced staff welfare and capacity.
Raji credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Nigeria First Policy for creating an environment where innovation is now “strategic, central, and non-negotiable.”
“Under President Tinubu’s leadership, innovation is no longer peripheral. This administration has sent an unmistakable message that Nigeria will no longer outsource its future, that innovation will drive industrialisation, and that technology and ICT will anchor economic sovereignty,” he said.
Raji also recounted highlights of the NextGen Innovation Challenge, including the Grand Finale in London on October 9, 2025, which showcased 105 Nigerian innovators and attracted £1.5 million in investments for clean-energy solutions.
The initiative has now been adopted by the Commonwealth of Nations, with the inaugural Caribbean edition scheduled for 2026. Partnerships have also been established with the University of Toronto and African Impact Initiatives for the 2026 NextGen Challenge, further elevating Nigerian innovation on a transcontinental stage.
Additionally, Innovate UK has agreed to admit 20 outstanding Nigerian innovators into its ecosystem on a fully funded basis for 2026.
The 2026 edition of the challenge will focus on high-impact sectors including artificial intelligence, robotics, digital infrastructure, renewable energy, climate resilience, and gender-inclusive innovation.
