Enugu State’s quest to become a leading hub for youth-driven innovation has received a significant boost with the announcement of a strategic partnership between the Enugu Campus Hackathon 2025 and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) through its innovation platform, InnovateNaija.
The landmark collaboration will create a national pipeline for student-built prototypes, enabling campus-level ideas to transition into investment-ready ventures recognized across Nigeria. Under the agreement, the overall winner of the Hackathon will receive a ₦2.5 million seed grant from NASENI and represent Enugu State at the National Invention Festival (Invention Fest) scheduled for February 2026 in Abuja. At the national event, finalists will compete for prizes worth up to ₦30 million and gain exposure to leading investors, technocrats, and policymakers within Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.
“We are building more than a competition—we’re building a runway for globally competitive startups from our classrooms,” said Arinze Chilo-Offiah, Special Adviser to the Governor on Digital Economy and MSMEs and Director General of the Enugu SME Center. “This partnership with NASENI means that our student innovators are not just dreaming—they’re deploying, scaling, and representing Enugu on the national stage.”
The Hackathon is a flagship initiative of the Enugu State Government, powered by the Enugu SME Center and the Office of the Special Adviser on Digital Economy & MSMEs, with delivery support from partners such as Genesys Tech Hub, The Garage, and Capitis Global Ventures. These partners will provide mentorship, technical support, and venture-building guidance to help transform student projects into viable startups.
Chilo-Offiah emphasized that the initiative reflects Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s bold vision to position Enugu as a hub of disruptive innovation, job creation, and inclusive economic growth. “This initiative aligns with the Governor’s commitment to creating a $30 billion economy. By investing in youth and digital enterprise, we are laying the foundation for sustainable development in Enugu State,” he said.
Campus rounds of the competition are currently underway at institutions including the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC), Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Coal City University, and Godfrey Okoye University. Finalists will later converge for the grand finale where a winning team will be selected to represent Enugu at the national level.
Organizers describe the Enugu Campus Hackathon 2025 as “more than a competition—it is a launchpad for the next generation of builders, thinkers, and disruptors.”
