The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has launched a new accelerator programme called Xceler8, aimed at helping Nigerian innovators in science and engineering turn working products into profitable businesses that can attract investors.

The three-month virtual programme was announced at a media event hosted by the NASENI Innovation Hub in Abuja. It will select 25 innovators from across Nigeria, with each receiving up to $25,000 in support, alongside mentorship, hands-on product development assistance, business training, and direct access to investors.

NASENI Executive Vice Chairman Khalil Suleiman Halilu said the initiative is designed to address a longstanding gap in the country’s innovation ecosystem.

“Nigeria has many brilliant engineers and scientists, but there is a gap between the laboratory and the market.”

He said the challenge is turning innovative ideas into sustainable businesses that can grow and secure funding.

The programme’s structure reflects that focus on commercial readiness rather than early-stage ideation: participants can join from anywhere in Nigeria, but the accelerator is aimed at founders who already have real products, paying customers and clear business goals. It will end with a physical Demo Day in Abuja, where the top startups will pitch their ideas to investors, industry partners, and media representatives.

Busola Beckley Perez-Folayan, Head of the NASENI Innovation Hub, said Xceler8 is intended for founders who have moved beyond the idea stage.

“We want applicants who are actively engaged in commercial activities and have clear goals to achieve by the end of the program.”

NASENI said it expects the programme to accelerate all 25 startups, create at least 100 direct and indirect jobs, foster five strategic partnerships, and improve the commercial readiness of the participating companies.

The accelerator is open to entrepreneurs in sectors including agrotech, renewable energy, fintech, edtech, healthtech, and manufacturing.

To qualify, applicants must be Nigerian citizens aged between 15 and 40 years, residing in Nigeria, and operating a registered Nigerian company. Businesses must already have completed at least five paid transactions, meaning they must have real customers who have paid for the product rather than only expressing interest.

Applicants must also have a fully functional prototype or a commercially available product that addresses a tangible problem in science, engineering, or innovation. NASENI said businesses still at the concept stage, with no developed product, will not be eligible.

The application window opened on August 31, 2026, and will close on September 30, 2026.

NASENI said the programme offers funding, mentorship, and access to investors without requiring participants to give up equity at the outset.