The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has invited its academic and non-teaching staff to participate in two innovation challenges aimed at turning research findings, workplace challenges and promising ideas into practical solutions.
The initiatives, organised by the university’s Entrepreneurship and Skills Development Centre (ESDC), are the Shelf-to-Market Innovation Challenge (S-MIC) and the Staff-Driven Efficiency, Entrepreneurship and Digitalisation (SEED) Challenge.
According to the university, the programmes are designed to support staff in developing ideas with the potential to create institutional, commercial and societal impact.
S-MIC for academic staff
The Shelf-to-Market Innovation Challenge is targeted at academic staff and seeks to bridge the gap between university research and real-world application.
The challenge will identify research outputs, inventions, discoveries, creative works, technologies, processes and other intellectual assets that have commercial or societal potential.
Selected participants will receive support in areas including solution development, market validation, business modelling, prototyping and expert pitching.
UNILAG said the initiative is intended to help move promising ideas from research and development towards market-ready products, services, enterprises, policies and technology-driven solutions.
Academic staff across all faculties are encouraged to submit innovation challenge themes, problem statements, opportunity areas and solution concepts with potential for commercialisation, scalability, investment, revenue generation and measurable social impact.
Interested academic staff can apply for the S-MIC through the designated application form.
SEED Challenge for non-teaching staff
The Staff-Driven Efficiency, Entrepreneurship and Digitalisation Challenge is designed for non-teaching staff and is themed, “From Workplace Problems to Innovative Solutions.”
The initiative focuses on everyday challenges within the university and encourages staff to develop ideas that can improve institutional processes and services.
UNILAG said staff working closely with university processes, students and other stakeholders are often well positioned to identify inefficiencies, service gaps and areas requiring improvement.
The SEED Challenge therefore encourages solutions that can simplify processes, reduce waste and delays, improve productivity and create value through technology, automation, artificial intelligence and data-driven approaches.
Participants can apply individually or as departmental, cross-functional or strategic innovation teams.
Shortlisted innovations will have access to opportunities including mentoring, prototyping support, intellectual property advisory, startup incubation and potential pathways towards university-wide adoption, funding and industry partnerships.
Interested non-teaching staff can apply through the designated SEED Challenge application form.
Application deadline
UNILAG said both initiatives are designed to encourage members of staff to identify opportunities within their research, workplaces and communities and develop solutions that can generate measurable impact.
The university encouraged interested staff to review the relevant programme brief and submit their applications on or before Friday, November 13, 2026.
The initiatives form part of UNILAG’s broader efforts to promote innovation, entrepreneurship, digitalisation and the practical application of knowledge within and beyond the university.
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