FG launches FutureMakers innovation programme for Nigerian children aged 5–16

The federal government has launched FutureMakers, a nationwide innovation programme designed to equip Nigerian children aged five to 16 with creativity, design-thinking and problem-solving skills needed to develop real-world solutions.

The initiative was unveiled on Thursday by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) at its Innovation Hub in the Idu Industrial Area of Abuja. The event was attended by senior government officials, innovation leaders, educators and development partners.

NASENI described FutureMakers as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s long-term innovation agenda, aimed at nurturing a new generation of inventors and technology leaders from an early age.

Speaking at the launch, NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Khalil Halilu, said the programme was created to identify and develop young talent across the country. He noted that countries that dominate global innovation today achieved their status by investing early in their children.

According to him, FutureMakers is part of a broader national strategy to build a steady pipeline of innovators who will shape Nigeria’s technological and industrial landscape over the next three to five decades.

The Head of the NASENI Innovation Hub and programme manager, Racheal Perez-Folayan, described the initiative as a transformative platform that will redefine how children engage with creativity and technology. She said the programme is designed to help young participants turn ideas into functional prototypes while building confidence and practical innovation skills.

Perez-Folayan explained that FutureMakers is not a competition alone, but a national movement focused on grooming problem-solvers capable of developing commercially viable technologies that strengthen Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.

NASENI said the programme will be implemented through its institutes across the six geopolitical zones to ensure nationwide participation and equal access for children in all states. The call for applications will run from 11 December 2025 to 11 January 2026, after which applications will be evaluated and participants shortlisted between 12 and 16 January.

Zonal hackathons are scheduled to hold from 26 to 30 January, while the National Innovation Finale will take place on 14 February 2026. Throughout the programme, participants will receive design-thinking training, mentorship, hands-on innovation experience and opportunities to pitch their ideas at zonal and national levels.

The agency also announced incentives to support outstanding participants, including cash awards of up to N5 million, scholarships, mentorship opportunities and innovation coaching. Participants will have access to NASENI Innovation Clubs as well as incubation and acceleration programmes, while top finalists will take part in an international study tour.

NASENI said the support framework is designed to ensure that promising ideas developed during the programme can evolve into viable prototypes, solutions and early-stage ventures.

Halilu urged children, parents, teachers and schools across the country to embrace the initiative and encourage participation, stressing that age should not be a barrier to innovation. He also called on educators and school administrators to support pupils by promoting awareness, guiding idea development and assisting with registration.

Registration for the programme is open to children aged five to 16 living in Nigeria and will close on 11 January 2026. NASENI said FutureMakers aligns with its mandate under the Presidency to drive industrialisation through research, innovation and engineering development, while inspiring creativity and technological growth among young Nigerians.