The Telecommunication and Technology Sustainability Working Group (TTSWG) has announced the second edition of its flagship Innovators Makers Challenge (IMC) Conference and Innovation Exhibition, with ₦9.2 million in seed capital set to be awarded to the top three startups emerging from the competition.
The conference and exhibition will be held at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Thursday, September 24, 2026.
The event is expected to bring together policymakers, industry executives, investors, development partners, financial institutions, innovators, and technology thought leaders from Nigeria and beyond to explore opportunities within the country’s technology and telecommunications ecosystem, with a particular focus on sustainability.
Sponsored by IHS Nigeria, the event is also supported by Hydrogen, Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre (NCIC), Lagos Business School Sustainability Centre (LBSSC), and MTN.
According to TTSWG, IMC 2.0 is designed to build on the achievements of its maiden edition in 2023, which attracted more than 300 in-person attendees, 759 registrants, and featured 17 innovations.
The 2026 edition has expanded its scope to identify, support, and accelerate innovative solutions across sectors contributing to sustainable development and national competitiveness.
These sectors include AgriTech, EnergyTech, HealthTech, FinTech, water solutions, Waste and ClimateTech, Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies, manufacturing and industrial innovation, education, infrastructure and smart cities, creative industries, digital governance and civic technology, logistics and mobility, among other technology-enabled sectors.
Speaking on the initiative, Lead Consultant at the TTSWG Secretariat, Bankole Oloruntoba, stated that the organisation was scaling up the programme to support innovations with measurable economic, social, and environmental impact.
“TTSWG is not only building on the success of the 2023 edition, we are scaling up significantly this year,” Oloruntoba said.
He added that IMC 2.0 would accelerate solutions across several sectors, including HealthTech, FinTech, AgriTech, ClimateTech, AI, manufacturing, education, infrastructure, creative industries, and digital governance.
A major component of this year’s programme is the Go-to-Talent Competition, which is open to young Nigerian innovators and entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35, as well as growth-stage startups, small and medium enterprises, and technology and sustainability-focused startups.
Participants will also have access to the IMC Bootcamp, a three-day mentorship programme covering business development, team building, finance and pitching.
The programme will further feature an Innovation Exhibition, where more than 20 startups, technology firms, research projects and development organisations are expected to showcase solutions aimed at advancing sustainable development.
Another component, the Business Clinics, will provide participants with access to legal and business consulting booths.
The major attraction of the competition will be the IMC Quest Pitch Competition, where the top five growth-stage startups from the bootcamp will pitch their solutions before a panel of judges at the conference.
The top three winners will share ₦9.2 million in seed capital, with the winner receiving ₦7 million, the first runner-up ₦1.2 million, and the second runner-up ₦1 million.
Beyond the financial prizes, TTSWG affirmed that all winning startups would participate in a structured six-month post-competition incubation programme aimed at promoting accountability, improving investment outcomes, and supporting the long-term growth of the businesses.
The 2026 conference will also feature the launch of the Telecommunication and Technology Citizenship Awareness Roadmap (TATCAR) 2023-2026, which is expected to capture key updates and best practices for responsible growth within Nigeria’s telecommunications and technology sectors.
TTSWG added that startups, investors, corporates and development partners interested in exhibiting, pitching or attending the conference can register for free at https://accesspal.co/innovationmakerschallenge.
Technology and Telecommunications Sustainability Working Group (TTSWG) is a diverse and inclusive multistakeholder organisation committed to advancing sustainability within the technology and telecommunications sector in Nigeria.
It comprises over 20 member organisations and partners in both the private and public sectors, including IHS Towers, MTN Nigeria, Hydrogen, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, Airtel, HP, Nigeria Climate Innovation Center, Phase 3 Telecoms, SystemSpecs Ltd, and MainOne Technologies.
