Deadline: June 14, 2026
Applications are open for the OPay Innovation Challenge 2026. The Innovation Challenge is an expanded, holistic initiative that builds on OPay’s flagship ₦1.2 billion, 10-year scholarship commitment. By combining financial aid with an innovation challenge, professional skill-building, mentorship, and job placement opportunities, it provides talented Nigerian undergraduates with an enabling platform to become the next generation of African technovators and drivers of digital transformation.
The objectives of the program include:
- Build digital and problem-solving skills in Nigeria’s next generation of innovators.
- Drive technology solutions for real social impact — from healthcare to agriculture to finance.
- Connect top talent with mentorship, funding, and career opportunities in Africa’s tech ecosystem.
Innovation Themes
Participants can innovate across any of these high-impact sectors reshaping Africa’s future.
- Fintech & Digital Payments
- Healthtech
- Cybersecurity & Data Protection
- Edtech
- AI & Automation for Social Good
- Climate & Sustainability Solutions
- Agritech
- Digital Tools for SMEs & Informal Sector
Prizes
1st Place: OPay National Innovator of the Year
- ₦10,000,000 project grant + ₦300,000 Scholarship Award
- Certificate + national media feature
- Mentorship with industry experts
- Advisory support for prototype development
- Job opportunity
2nd Place
- ₦5,000,000 project grant + ₦300,000 Scholarship Award
- Certificate + national media feature
- Advisory support for prototype development
- OPay Innovation Fellowship
3rd Place
- ₦3,000,000 project grant + ₦300,000 Scholarship Award
- Certificate of participation + national media feature
- OPay Innovation Fellowship
Eligibility
- Applicants must have downloaded the Gemini App and initiated basic prompts within Gemini.
- Must be an undergraduate student offering any course of study in a Nigerian Tertiary Institution.
- Must have a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) score of 2.8/4 for Colleges/Polytechnics, or 3.5/5 (second-class upper credit) for Universities.
- Preference will be given to students who can demonstrate significant financial hardship.
Application
Incomplete applications will not be considered. All submissions must be in English. Files accepted: PDF, JPEG, or MP4 (max 10MB each)
For more information, visit OPay Innovation Challenge.
