The Federal Government has unveiled NATImart, a strategic digital marketplace platform designed to expand Nigeria’s export capacity, strengthen small businesses, and project over $1 billion in value-added economic activity.

Director-General and CEO of the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI), Dr. Kazeem Kolawole Raji, disclosed this during a press conference marking one year of his leadership at the agency.

According to Raji, NATImart will enable Made-in-Nigeria products to reach diaspora and international buyers, creating thousands of jobs, increasing SME participation in global markets, and providing Nigerian innovators direct access to international demand.

He said the platform represents a shift from event-based innovation programmes to permanent commercial infrastructure, complementing initiatives such as the NextGen Innovation Challenge, which has already showcased Nigerian innovators on international stages and secured millions in investment.

He said, “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.

“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.”

According to Raji, one of NBTI’s landmark achievements this year was the statutory allocation of four per cent of the National Development Levy to the agency, secured through the Tax Reform Acts 2025.

He noted that for the first time in its history, NBTI now operates on a predictable and independent revenue framework, reducing dependence on annual budget cycles and enabling long-term planning.

The NBTI boss said the agency, over the past year, has strengthened its legal foundation through the NATI Bill, introduced computer-based testing for promotions, and improved staff welfare and professional capacity.

Raji credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Nigeria First Policy for creating what he described as an environment where innovation has become “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 disclosed that one major highlight of the year was the NextGen Innovation Challenge Grand Finale in London on October 9, 2025, which showcased 105 Nigerian innovators to a global audience, attracting investments totalling £1.5 million for clean-energy solutions.

He said the initiative has now been adopted by the Commonwealth of Nations for rollout across 56 member countries, with the inaugural Caribbean edition scheduled for 2026.

He also announced partnerships with the University of Toronto and African Impact Initiatives for the 2026 NextGen Challenge, further positioning Nigerian innovation on a transcontinental platform.

Raji further disclosed that Innovate UK had agreed to admit 20 outstanding Nigerian innovators into its ecosystem on a fully funded basis for the 2026 edition.

He said the challenge will focus on high-impact sectors, including artificial intelligence, robotics, digital infrastructure, renewable energy, climate resilience, and gender-inclusive innovation.