164
By Daniel Adaji
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has introduced FutureMakers, a new programme designed to nurture creativity and innovation among children aged 15 and below.
The initiative, unveiled on Thursday at the Agency’s headquarters in Abuja, aims to build a pipeline of young problem-solvers who can shape Nigeria’s technological future.
At the launch, the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NASENI, Khalil Halilu, said the country’s long-term technological strength depends on how well it prepares its younger generation.
He explained that FutureMakers by NASENI would guide children to think creatively and develop solutions to real-world problems through sustained exposure to innovation.
“Today, we take another step toward securing Nigeria’s long-term innovation future. We are here to officially launch FutureMakers by NASENI, another national programme designed to identify, nurture and empower young innovators between the ages of 5 and 16 years,” he said.
He added that early exposure creates lifelong innovators, and Nigeria “is joining that league, through FutureMakers by NASENI.”
Halilu described the programme as a strategic investment in the country’s future workforce. “FutureMakers an initiative of NASENI Innovation Hub is part of a long-term national strategy to build technical confidence early, develop problem-solvers and inventors, prepare young people for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), entrepreneurship and leadership, strengthen Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem from the ground up and feed talent into NASENI’s incubation and acceleration programmes,” he said.
“This is our way of securing Nigeria’s innovation stability over the next 30 to 50 years,” he added, urging parents, teachers, private-sector partners, and mentors to support the children by encouraging creativity and investing in their development.
Setting the tone earlier, Special Adviser to the EVC/CEO on Commercialisation and Efficiency, Dr. Anas Yazid, stressed that the initiative goes beyond classroom skills. According to him, “FutureMakers is not just about design thinking, robotics, coding, engineering, or competitions. It is about something deeper: believing in our children before the world has fully seen them, investing in their talent before their CV exists, and creating an experience that will stay with them for life. The moment they realised they can build things, solve real problems and be a maker of the future.”
The Head of NASENI Innovation Hub, Mrs. Rachael Perez-Folayan, disclosed that the programme will run from December 2025 to February 2026, with 60 children selected from the six geopolitical zones. She said top participants from each zone will receive prizes worth up to N5 million, alongside an international study tour with the NASENI EVC and a scholarship.
In a goodwill message, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on NASENI, Senator Francis Ezenwa Onyewuchi, applauded the initiative and the collective effort behind it. He thanked parents, teachers and partners for supporting young talents and said, “As we launch FutureMakers, let us renew our collective commitment to building a nation, where creativity is elevated, where ideas are supported and where the potential of every child is allowed to thrive. I believe that what we are doing today will inspire a new generation of young ones.”