Applications are now officially open for the 2026 OPay National Innovation Challenge for undergraduate students in Nigeria. In an exciting development for the 2026 edition, OPay has partnered with Google to embed generative AI tools directly into the competition framework.
Opay Innovation Challenge Overview
| Host Country | Nigeria |
| Institution | Nigerian Tertiary Institutions |
| Study Location | Study in Nigeria |
| Eligible Countries | Nigeria |
| Requirements | Undergraduate students in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions |
| Category | Competitions |
| Reward | ₦19.2m Grants & Scholarships | Certification | Mentorship | Job Opportunity |
| Application Closing Date | 14th June, 2027 |
This initiative expands upon OPay’s flagship ₦1.2 billion, 10-year scholarship commitment, pairing major cash project grants with academic scholarship payouts, professional bootcamps, and direct job placements through the newly launched OPay Futures pipeline.
Prize Distribution & Benefits
The total ₦19.2M cash structure guarantees that the top three performing finalist teams walk away with substantial seed funding and academic insurance.
| Placement | Project Grant | Academic Scholarship | Additional Career Benefits |
| 1st Place | ₦10,000,000 | ₦300,000 | National media feature, advisory support, expert tech mentorship, and a direct OPay job placement opportunity. |
| 2nd Place | ₦5,000,000 | ₦300,000 | Prototype advisory support, media showcase, and admission into the exclusive OPay Innovation Fellowship. |
| 3rd Place | ₦3,000,000 | ₦300,000 | Participation certification, media showcase, and admission into the OPay Innovation Fellowship. |
Related Scholarship Opportunities:
- Government of Canada Flight PS752 Commemorative Scholarship
- Danish Government Scholarship 2027
- Wellington Scholarship Program 2026
- King Fahd University Scholarship 2026
Innovation Programs
Participating teams must identify a real-world, localized problem within Africa and pitch a technology-driven solution across one of these core sectors:
- Fintech & Digital Payments
- Healthtech & Medical Solutions
- Cybersecurity & Data Protection
- Edtech (Educational Technology)
- AI & Automation for Social Good
- Climate & Sustainability Solutions
- Agritech (Agricultural Technology)
- Digital Tools for SMEs & the Informal Sector
Eligibility Criteria
To enter the competition portal, your team must meet the following mandatory academic and technical prerequisites:
- Every team member must be a full-time undergraduate student at an accredited Nigerian University, Polytechnic, or College of Education.
- Universities: Minimum CGPA of 3.5 / 5.0 (equivalent to a Second Class Upper).
- Polytechnics / Colleges: Minimum CGPA of 2.8 / 4.0.
- Applicants must download the Google Gemini App and demonstrate proficiency using AI-assisted design workflows (specifically the Canva-Gemini workflow) to build out their concept models.
- While selection is heavily performance-based, priority consideration will be given to teams containing brilliant, indigent students facing documented financial hardships.
Required Documents
Ensure your team has compiled these documents cleanly into digital formats (PDF, JPEG, or MP4; Max 10MB per file) before hitting the portal:
- Valid Student ID Cards for all 5 team members.
- Official academic transcripts or recent stamped results sheets verifying CGPA baselines.
- A comprehensive Innovation Project Proposal detailing the problem, your tech solution, and how you utilized Google Gemini.
- Passport photographs of all team members.
How to Apply for Opay Innovation Challenge 2026
The challenge is processed via OPay’s custom web platform. Follow this steps to register your team:
- Form a cohort of exactly 5 qualified undergraduate students from your institution.
- Ensure everyone meets the minimum CGPA restrictions and has downloaded the Google Gemini application.
- Navigate directly to the registration portal at by clicking the button below
- Click on the active “Apply Now” interface.
- The team lead will fill the the form.
- Upload your documents.
- Review to confirm everything is in English and under the 10MB size limit.
- Submit before June 14, 2026. If your team ranks among the top 48 shortlisted units, you will progress into a 6-week virtual training webinar, face a 30-minute timed tech examination, and move toward an intensive OPay Expert Bootcamp.
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