Abuja, Nigeria · August 2026
Engineering & Technology Programme
Nigeria's first immersive career exploration programme for secondary school students. 5 days. Real engineers. Real problems. Real builds. If you have ever wondered what engineers actually do — this is where you find out.
The problem we are solving
Three critical gaps hold back the next generation. Ignite addresses all three — one cohort at a time.
Nigeria produces fewer than 10,000 engineering graduates annually — far below what its infrastructure ambitions demand.
Most secondary school students never encounter engineering as a real, lived career before they choose their university course.
Women represent less than 15% of Nigeria's engineering workforce. Without early exposure and visible role models, this gap persists.
How Ignite works
Every session across the 5 days belongs to one of three learning tiers, each building on the last.
Expert talks and panels from working Nigerian engineers, tech founders, and university faculty. Students see what engineers actually do — not what textbooks say they do. Every speaker is Nigerian. Every example is local.
Hands-on sessions building real circuits, writing functional code, and experimenting with Arduino microcontrollers. Students learn by doing — no prior experience needed. Breaking things is encouraged.
A two-day capstone challenge. Teams engineer a solution to a real Nigerian problem — power access, food storage, water, road safety — and present to a panel of professional judges on Day 5.
The programme
Every day has a clear purpose, a clear output, and a clear reason to come back the next morning.
Theme: World-building — students arrive curious and leave with context
Theme: Problem-solving process — how engineers frame and attack problems
Theme: Hands-on making — the most physical, exciting day of the programme
Theme: Apply everything — full-day team sprint on a real Nigerian engineering problem
Theme: Present, celebrate, and commit — the most memorable day
Who should apply
No prior engineering experience needed. What we look for is curiosity, drive, and a willingness to try things you have never tried before.
Students currently in SS1 or SS2 (ages 14–18) at any Abuja secondary school, public or private.
A student who asks questions in science class. Who builds things at home. Who wonders how things work. That curiosity is all we need.
We actively reserve places for female students. Teachers are encouraged to prioritise nominations of high-achieving girls.
This is a daily day programme — 8am to 5pm. Students need to be able to commute to central Abuja each day.
Applications open through teacher nominations or direct parent/guardian applications. Takes 3 minutes.
Ignite has 5–8 fully funded places reserved for high-achieving students who cannot afford the ₦100,000 programme fee.
If you know a student who deserves a place but whose family cannot cover the cost, please indicate this when submitting your nomination. Scholarship places are assessed on academic drive and financial need.
All scholarship applications are handled discreetly and respectfully.
Know a student in SS1 or SS2 who would thrive at Ignite? The nomination form takes 3 minutes. We handle everything else — contacting the family, sending programme details, and managing the application process.
Deadline: 30 June 2026 · Places limited to 40 students
Nominate a student →Sponsoring Ignite is a strategic investment — not a donation. Your brand reaches the most ambitious young engineers in Nigeria before they choose their university, their internship, or their first employer. Founding partner status is permanent.
Gold ₦3M · Silver ₦1.5M · Bronze ₦500k · In-kind welcome
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