The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has announced the winners of the fourth edition of the NSIA Prize for Innovation (NPI 4.0).
In a statement from Abuja on Sunday, the NSIA named Come Again Foods the overall winner of NPI 4.0, awarding the startup a total prize of $100,000.
The announcement followed the NPI 4.0 Demo Day, themed “Building for Impact,” where 12 finalists, chosen from 6,000 applications, presented their solutions to a panel of experts from Nigeria’s business, investment, and innovation sectors.
Come Again Foods produces packaged snacks using locally sourced agricultural commodities.
Protein Kapital, which produces protein and biofertilisers through insect farming and organic waste processing, placed second and received a total prize of $70,000.
Instant Rad Inc., an AI-enabled teleradiology platform connecting hospitals and diagnostic centres with radiologists across Africa, placed third and received $50,000.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fourth edition focused on startups in manufacturing, climate and food security, and healthcare.
NSIA selected these sectors for their potential to drive Nigeria’s economic growth, resilience, and sustainable development.
The authority stated that this edition offered a total prize pool of $275,000, including $220,000 from NSIA, $45,000 from Cascador, and $10,000 from Wema Bank.
NSIA added that, as part of the additional awards, Eight Medical and Uwana Energy received $ 15,000 each in Cascador cash prizes. Mbal Enterprises, Come Again Foods and Ebees Green received 5,000 dollars each under the Cascador Impact prizes.
Similarly, Eight Medical, Smartel Agri Tech, and Tryctor each received $4,000 in Wema Bank prizes.
Beyond the prize money, the authority said eligible winners can access up to $1.5 million in growth capital through Pula Xcelerator to support business expansion and operational growth.
NSIA stated that winners will also participate in a fully funded entrepreneurial development programme at the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) in Lagos.
The programme will cover business strategy, leadership, governance, financial management, market expansion, and investor readiness.
Speaking at Demo Day, Mr. Aminu Umar-Sadiq, Managing Director and CEO of NSIA, stated that the quality of solutions presented reflects the depth of innovation and entrepreneurial talent across Nigeria.
“Through the NSIA Prize for Innovation, we are not only recognising promising ideas; we are creating pathways for entrepreneurs to access the capital, capabilities, networks and partnerships needed to build sustainable, scalable businesses.”
Umar-Sadiq noted that the expanded opportunities from the programme’s strategic partnerships reinforce the authority’s commitment to supporting Nigerian innovators who are developing practical solutions to critical challenges.
He coHe congratulated the winners and finalists, expressing optimism that these businesses will grow, create jobs, and deliver meaningful economic and social impact. authority said that since its inception, the NSIA Prize for Innovation has supported entrepreneurship development, innovation and ecosystem growth in Nigeria.
“Across its first three editions, the programme attracted more than 20,000 applications from startups across the country’s six geopolitical zones, spanning sectors such as financial technology, agriculture, healthcare, education, transportation and logistics.”
The NNSIA stated that the NPI 4.0 programme consists of five stages: pre-selection, accelerator, Mini Demo Day, Demo Day, and post-Demo Day support. It said that through funding, technical support, entrepreneurial training, mentorship, and strategic partnerships, the initiative seeks to help promising Nigerian businesses strengthen their operations, improve investment readiness, and scale their solutions.
The authority reaffirmed its commitment to promoting innovation and entrepreneurship as key drivers of Nigeria’s long-term economic development.
Further information on the programme is available on the NSIA Prize for Innovation website: www.nsia-ip.com.
The NSIA Prize for Innovation is the flagship innovation and entrepreneurship development initiative of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, designed to identify and support high-potential Nigerian startups through funding, capacity building, mentorship and strategic partnership. The programme aims to help entrepreneurs develop scalable solutions that promote economic growth, create jobs, and advance sustainable development in Nigeria and across Africa.ica.
