The National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) of Nigeria has positioned its proven model of innovation and enterprise incubation as a blueprint for all 56 Commonwealth member nations.
The landmark engagement, held at the Nigerian High Commission in London, was led by Dr. Kazeem Kolawole Raji, Director-General/CEO of NBTI, and hosted by Ambassador Abu-Obe Eche, Acting High Commissioner of Nigeria to the United Kingdom.
Dr. Raji reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to deepening collaboration with Commonwealth institutions and advancing innovation-driven development, saying “Our research shows that the challenge is not the absence of capital, but the absence of investable, innovation-driven projects.”
He emphasized that NBTI stands as a tested model for transforming local innovation into globally competitive enterprises, a system that has consistently produced bankable projects, generated employment, and diversified the Nigerian economy.
The meeting underscored the strong alignment between Nigeria’s innovation agenda and the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Strategic Plan 2025-2030, with discussions centered on the C-RISE Framework and the Commonwealth Investment Network.
The Commonwealth delegation applauded Nigeria’s leadership, describing the NBTI model as a “powerful and practical framework” for activating innovation ecosystems across diverse economies within the Commonwealth.
Participants reaffirmed their collective commitment to strengthen collaboration toward operationalizing the C-RISE Framework, which will drive the establishment of an Integrated Commonwealth Innovation and Investment Ecosystem.
Dr. Raji stated, “Nigeria stands ready to lead this charge. By sharing our experience through NBTI, we can help the Commonwealth turn innovation into investment and investment into shared prosperity.”
