NBTI Launches NATImart to Boost Exports, Targets $1bn Economic Impact

The Federal Government has launched NATImart, a strategic digital marketplace aimed at expanding Nigeria’s export capacity, strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and generating over $1 billion in value-added economic activity.

The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI), Dr. Kazeem Kolawole Raji, announced this at a press conference to mark his first year in office.

Raji explained that NATImart will connect Made-in-Nigeria products with diaspora and international buyers, opening global markets to local innovators and businesses. He said the platform is expected to create thousands of jobs, boost SME participation in international trade, and provide Nigerian talents and entrepreneurs with direct access to global demand.

According to him, the initiative represents a shift from temporary, event-driven innovation programmes to a permanent commercial infrastructure, complementing existing efforts such as the NextGen Innovation Challenge. The challenge, he noted, has already showcased Nigerian innovators globally and attracted millions of dollars in investment.

“When fully operational, NATImart is projected to facilitate $1–$5 billion in annual transaction volumes, with the potential to contribute over $1 billion in value-added economic activity through exports, services, logistics, and digital trade,” Raji said.
“In addition to export growth, the platform will support thousands of jobs, strengthen SME participation in global markets, and improve access to international demand for Nigerian products and talents.”

Raji also highlighted a major institutional milestone achieved during the year, the statutory allocation of four per cent of the National Development Levy to NBTI, secured through the Tax Reform Acts 2025. He noted that this development has given the agency a predictable and independent revenue stream for the first time, reducing reliance on annual budgetary allocations and enabling long-term planning.

The NBTI boss said the agency has also strengthened its legal and operational framework through the NATI Bill, introduced computer-based testing for staff promotions, and improved employee welfare and capacity building.

He credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Nigeria First Policy for positioning innovation as a core national priority.

“Under President Tinubu’s leadership, innovation is no longer peripheral. This administration has made it clear that Nigeria will no longer outsource its future. Innovation will drive industrialisation, while technology and ICT will anchor our economic sovereignty,” Raji said.

He further disclosed that a major highlight of the year was the NextGen Innovation Challenge Grand Finale held in London on October 9, 2025, where 105 Nigerian innovators were showcased to a global audience, attracting £1.5 million in investments for clean-energy solutions.

According to him, the initiative has since been adopted by the Commonwealth of Nations for implementation across its 56 member countries, with the first Caribbean edition scheduled for 2026.

Raji also announced new partnerships with the University of Toronto and African Impact Initiatives for the 2026 NextGen Challenge, as well as an agreement with Innovate UK to admit 20 outstanding Nigerian innovators into its ecosystem on a fully funded basis.

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