Entrepreneurs supported by the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) have earned international recognition at the SEE Pakistan 2026 World Startup Championship (WSC) in Lahore, Pakistan, underscoring the growing competitiveness of Nigeria’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
The global event, organised by OIC-COMSTECH in collaboration with the Association of Private Sector Universities Pakistan (APSUP), attracted more than 4,000 applications from over 40 countries and provided a platform for startups to showcase innovative solutions, engage investors, receive mentorship and explore cross-border partnerships.
Speaking on the achievement, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NBTI, Dr Kazeem Kolawole Raji, said the success of the Nigerian participants reflects the country’s increasing capacity for innovation and entrepreneurship as well as the impact of ongoing efforts to strengthen the nation’s technology and business ecosystem.
A major highlight of Nigeria’s participation was the performance of Nature’s Sleek Limited, whose founder, Zara, won the championship’s Best Skincare and Beauty Products category award. The company, incubated at the Technology Incubation Centre (TIC) Minna, Niger State, was recognised for its innovative products and business potential.
Team Nigeria also secured a country award in the Growth and Innovation category, further demonstrating the strength of indigenous Nigerian enterprises on the global stage.
According to the participating entrepreneurs, their success was driven in part by training and certification programmes provided through NBTI’s Technology Incubation Programme (TIP), including courses in quality management, project management, export preparedness and corporate marketing.
The Nigerian delegation reported that NBTI facilitated the visa application process and provided the documentation required for participation. Prior to the competition, the entrepreneurs attended a boot camp that enabled business-to-business and business-to-consumer engagements with international stakeholders.
During the championship finals, participating countries were given opportunities to exhibit their products and engage venture capitalists, angel investors and strategic partners.
The Nigerian pavilion attracted significant attention throughout the event, the entrepreneurs said.
While only the individual category winner was slated to receive financial support of 100,000 Pakistani rupees, the entrepreneurs described the championship as a valuable opportunity to promote Nigerian innovation and build global business connections.
NBTI said the achievements reinforce its mandate to nurture technology-based enterprises, promote indigenous innovation and support the commercialisation of homegrown technologies.
The agency noted that the performance of the entrepreneurs reflects years of mentorship, technical guidance and business development support provided through its Technology Incubation Centres nationwide.
The board also commended its centre managers, technical officers, mentors and support staff for their contributions in helping entrepreneurs transform ideas into market-ready businesses.
Reaffirming its commitment to expanding opportunities for Nigerian innovators, NBTI said it would continue to facilitate greater access to international markets, investors, strategic partners and global innovation platforms.
The participating entrepreneurs expressed appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, NBTI leadership and the organisers of SEE Pakistan 2026 for creating opportunities that enabled Nigerian startups to compete, connect and showcase their solutions on the international stage.
On behalf of Team Nigeria’s eight entrepreneurs, the delegation pledged to continue leveraging innovation and enterprise to contribute to national development and positively project Nigeria’s image globally.
