The Hult Prize Nigeria Nationals, often described as the “Nobel Prize for Students,” has concluded its 2026 edition in Lagos, crowning Devspace from Covenant University as the national champion. The startup emerged at the top of a highly competitive field that saw 608 startups from 44 universities across Nigeria vie for the chance to solve global challenges through for-profit business models.
By winning the national finals, Devspace has secured a spot in the Hult Prize Digital Incubator, an elite international accelerator. This program provides the mentorship, investor access, and strategic funding necessary to compete for the ultimate $1 million global prize backed by the United Nations and Hult International Business School.
The Leaderboard of Innovation The 2026 finals showcased a geographic and intellectual diversity across the Nigerian tertiary education system:
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Winner: Devspace (Covenant University)
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Second Place: Blank Book (University of Ibadan)
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Third Place: Aquanaut (Covenant University)
Other startups breaking into the Top Nine included Blood Deck (Lead City University), Zsocare and Amana (Bayero University Kano), Skycore (Kwara State University), and Tropical (University of Uyo).
Building Solutions for Africa National Coordinator Olamide Otasanya described the event as a testament to the “growing capacity of Nigerian youths to develop globally relevant solutions.” This sentiment was echoed by Olubunmi Sobande of the Hult Prize Board of Governance, who noted that these young founders are building ventures with the potential to transform entire industries and drive job creation across the continent.
Strategic Ecosystem Support The competition has evolved beyond a student event into a significant “marketplace” for talent and ideas. The Lagos finals drew a high-profile audience of:
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Venture Capitalists: Scouting for early-stage social impact startups.
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Innovation Experts: Providing real-world critiques to refine business models.
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Corporate Executives: Exploring potential partnerships with youth-led ventures.
The 2026 Hult Prize Nigeria cycle concluded not just with trophies, but with an awards ceremony recognizing the faculty advisers, campus leaders, and volunteers who sustain the entrepreneurship ecosystem across Nigerian campuses. As Devspace moves into the global incubator phase, the focus shifts to whether a Nigerian startup can once again secure the $1 million seed funding on the world stage.
