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The Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) has opened applications for a nationwide know-how innovation competitors providing a N10 million prize pool to Nigerian startups and innovation groups creating options for underserved communities.
According to a press release from the USPF, the Changemaker Challenge, launched on November 2, 2026, seeks homegrown data and communications know-how (ICT) options addressing challenges in agriculture, schooling, healthcare, monetary inclusion, and clear and inexpensive vitality.
Applications are open to Nigerian-based innovation groups and early-stage startups throughout the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) till November 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. West Africa Time.
USPF competitors to bridge Nigeria’s ICT hole
The competitors, applied in partnership with Ubulu Africa, can even provide chosen individuals nationwide recognition and a four-week incubation programme to assist develop their options.
According to the USPF, the initiative is knowledgeable by its 2024 ICT hole research, which recognized 87 clusters with an estimated inhabitants of 23.37 million individuals in unserved and underserved areas with restricted or no entry to telecommunications providers.
The Fund stated digital instruments might assist tackle challenges in these communities, notably in important sectors resembling farming, schooling, healthcare, vitality and monetary providers.
How the competitors will work
The competitors is open to groups comprising between two and 5 members, all aged 18 and above. Participation is free, and candidates are anticipated to current sensible ICT-enabled options addressing particular issues outlined within the competitors.
Entries might be assessed primarily based on the readability of their ICT part, their relevance to the revealed downside statements and proof that the proposed options can work for the communities they’re designed to serve.
Following the screening course of, 50 groups might be chosen to advance to the subsequent stage. The choice will embody one group from every of the 36 states and the FCT, alongside 13 extra groups chosen primarily based on benefit.
- The chosen groups will showcase their improvements at Regional Demo Days organised throughout Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
- One group from every zone will subsequently advance to the National Demo Day, the place the highest three individuals will share the N10 million prize pool.
All six nationwide finalists can even take part in a four-week incubation programme designed to help the additional improvement of their options.
USPF targets grassroots innovators
Speaking on the initiative, Dr. Odiong Akpan, Chief Executive Officer of Ubulu Africa, stated the competitors is meant to establish innovators with sensible options to challenges affecting underserved communities, no matter their geographical location.
- “Innovation should not be limited by geography. Through the USPF Changemaker Challenge, we want to reach innovators across Nigeria who understand the challenges facing unserved and underserved communities and have practical solutions to address them,” Akpan stated.
He inspired innovation groups with promising ICT-enabled options to use and use the chance to showcase their concepts and entry help for additional improvement.
Interested candidates can entry the eligibility necessities, revealed downside statements and utility type by means of the USPF web site at uspf.gov.ng.
ICT hole in Nigeria
Aside from the USPF research, a recent report by the GSMA revealed that Nigeria accounted for an estimated 140 million individuals within the cell web utilization hole in 2025.
According to the group, the determine represents Nigerians who lived throughout the footprint of cell broadband networks however didn’t use cell web providers, highlighting the size of the nation’s connectivity challenge regardless of community availability.
The GSMA defines the cell web utilization hole as individuals who stay throughout the footprint of a cell broadband community however don’t use cell web providers.
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