Leading fintech company, OPay, has selected 48 teams to advance to the next stage of its National Innovation Challenge, following an overwhelming response from undergraduate students across Nigeria.
The challenge is one of three flagship initiatives under the expanded OPay Scholars Programme, alongside the ₦1.2 billion, 10-year scholarship scheme and OPay Futures, aimed at promoting education, innovation, digital skills development and youth empowerment.
Applications for the competition opened on May 25 and closed on July 3, attracting more than 2,200 team entries from over 11,000 students representing tertiary institutions across the country.
According to the company, the submissions were evaluated based on originality, quality, relevance and potential impact, with 48 outstanding teams emerging for the next phase of the competition.
The shortlisted teams comprise 24 from OPay’s partner institutions and 24 from non-partner institutions, reflecting the company’s commitment to supporting innovation regardless of a student’s institution or geographical location.
Each team consists of five students from the same tertiary institution.
The successful teams will participate in a six-week virtual learning and mentorship programme, where they will receive training from professionals and industry experts from OPay, Google, and the Federal Government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme.
The sessions are designed to strengthen participants’ ideas, deepen their understanding of innovation and entrepreneurship, and prepare them for the next stage of the competition.
At the end of the mentorship programme, the 48 teams will be narrowed to 10 finalists, who will compete for a share of the ₦18 million prize pool.
Beyond the competition, OPay said participants who score 70 per cent or above in the webinar assessment will qualify for a three-month internship under OPay Futures, where they will gain practical work experience with OPay and partner organisations.
The internship programme is expected to expose students to real-world business challenges while equipping them with industry-relevant skills for careers in Nigeria’s digital economy.
Speaking on the initiative, OPay’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Manager, Itoro Udo, said the level of participation underscores the enormous innovation potential among Nigerian youths.
“The response to the National Innovation Challenge has been truly inspiring. Seeing over 11,000 students come together to develop practical solutions to real challenges reinforces our belief that Nigeria has an incredible pool of young talent ready to shape the future through innovation,” she said.
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She noted that the OPay Scholars Programme goes beyond scholarship awards by creating opportunities for mentorship, collaboration, innovation and career development.
“Together with our partners, Google and the Federal Government’s 3MTT programme, we are committed to helping young Nigerians develop the skills, confidence and exposure they need to build solutions that can create meaningful impact for society,” Udo added.
According to OPay, the expanded Scholars Programme is designed to support students throughout their academic and professional journeys by combining financial assistance, innovation support, mentorship, practical industry experience and employment opportunities.
The company said the initiative is expected to nurture a new generation of innovators, technology professionals and future business leaders capable of driving Nigeria’s digital transformation and economic growth.
