USPF Launches ₦10 Million Innovation Challenge to Address Nigeria’s 87 Telecom Blackspots
The USPF Changemaker Challenge will support grassroots innovators developing technology solutions for underserved communities, where an estimated 23.37 million people have limited or no telecommunications access.
The Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) has launched a nationwide technology innovation challenge aimed at addressing digital access gaps in underserved communities across Nigeria.
The initiative, known as the USPF Changemaker Challenge, is being implemented in partnership with Ubulu Africa and offers a total prize pool of ₦10 million to Nigerian innovation teams and early-stage startups developing practical Information and Communications Technology (ICT) solutions.
The programme follows a 2024 USPF study that identified 87 clusters across Nigeria with little or no telecommunications access, representing an estimated 23.37 million people.
Rather than focusing exclusively on expanding conventional telecom infrastructure, the challenge seeks homegrown digital solutions that can help communities access essential services despite limitations such as unreliable electricity, poor network coverage, expensive devices and high data costs.
87 Telecom Gap Clusters Highlight Nigeria’s Connectivity Challenge
The USPF's 2024 ICT gap study identified 87 underserved and unserved clusters, marking a reduction from 97 clusters recorded in its 2022 study.
Despite the reduction, millions of Nigerians in these locations still face barriers to accessing telecommunications services and the opportunities associated with digital connectivity.
Limited access affects more than communication. It can restrict farmers' access to market information, prevent students from benefiting from digital learning resources and make it harder for rural residents to access healthcare information and financial services.
The USPF Changemaker Challenge is designed to encourage innovators to develop solutions around these local challenges, particularly technologies that can function in environments where internet access, electricity and digital devices are limited.
Five Areas Targeted by the Innovation Challenge
The competition is open to solutions addressing five sectors considered important to improving livelihoods and digital inclusion:
Agriculture: Digital tools that help farmers improve productivity, access information and connect with markets.
Education: Technology that makes learning resources and educational support more accessible.
Healthcare: Digital solutions that improve access to health information and essential services.
Financial inclusion: Tools that help underserved individuals and businesses access affordable financial services.
Clean and affordable energy: Innovations that improve access to reliable and affordable energy in underserved locations.
The programme will prioritise solutions with practical ICT components and the potential to address problems within the communities they are designed to serve.
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How the ₦10 Million Changemaker Challenge Will Work
According to the programme details, 50 teams will advance to regional demonstration events following the initial application and screening process.
The selection structure is designed to provide representation from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, alongside 13 additional teams selected on merit.
The selected teams will participate in Regional Demo Days across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones. Six finalists, representing the different zones, will then proceed to a National Demo Day in Abuja.
The three leading teams will share the ₦10 million prize pool:
First place: ₦5 million.
Second place: ₦3 million.
Third place: ₦2 million.
All six national finalists will also receive a four-week incubation programme to strengthen their solutions and business models.
The competition is open to Nigerian-based innovation teams and early-stage startups with two to five members. Every team member must be at least 18 years old, and business registration is not compulsory.
Applications Close November 15, 2026
Applications opened on November 2 and will close on November 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. West Africa Time.
Participation is free, and applicants must submit an ICT-led idea, prototype, minimum viable product or working system that addresses one of the five challenge areas.
Entries will be assessed based on their technology components, relevance to the published problem statements and evidence that the proposed solutions can work in the communities they target.
Interested teams can review the requirements and submit applications through the official website.
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Can Grassroots Innovation Help Close Nigeria's Digital Divide?
The initiative highlights the role local innovators could play in addressing challenges that conventional infrastructure expansion alone may not immediately resolve.
However, developing a promising technology solution is only one part of achieving digital inclusion. Long-term success will also depend on affordability, reliable power, distribution, maintenance and the ability to deploy solutions at scale.
The USPF Changemaker Challenge therefore presents an opportunity to connect grassroots innovation with Nigeria's wider universal access objectives.
With millions of people still living in areas with limited telecommunications access, the real measure of success will be whether the supported solutions can move beyond demonstrations and deliver lasting benefits to underserved communities.