Governor of Kaduna state, Senator Uba Sani has congratulated Al’amin Idris, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Interface Africa for emerging the overall winner of the 2025 NextGen Innovation Challenge held in London, United Kingdom.
The event, organised by the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) and UKALD Management Consultancy, featured over 3,000 participants from Nigeria.
However, only 105 participants made it to the grand finale, with Idris an indigene of Kaduna state, clinching the top position.
Interface Africa is a clean energy platform that connects solar providers, financiers, and users.
Its flagship projects, GreenPay and NasPoints, a network of trained field agents, have powered thousands of homes and supported small businesses across Africa.
The platform also helps in reducing carbon emissions.
Idris’ innovation attracted a £1.5 million investment from UK-based Pure Climate Solutions to expand its reach continent-wide.
Governor Sani, in a statement on Wednesday in Kaduna, through Ahmed Maiyaki, the commissioner for information, described Idris’ victory as “a proud moment for Kaduna state and Nigeria.”
He said it shows the creative strength and global potential of Kaduna’s youth.
The governor assured that his administration will continue to invest in science, technology, and innovation for inclusive growth and youth empowerment.
“We are building an innovation-driven economy that rewards ideas, nurtures talent, and delivers opportunities,” the governor said.
He highlighted his administration’s key reforms, including the Kaduna Innovation and Technology Council, Smart Schools and Digital Learning programmes, and three Vocational and Skills Development Institutes in Rigachikun, Soba, and Samaru Kataf.
The governor also promised STEM scholarships for outstanding students.
Sani also praised Shamsuddeen Jibril, a Kaduna innovator whose AgroDrone Crop Doctor impressed global judges.
The technology is designed for crop spraying and monitoring, which earned partnership deals with Teesside University (UK) and UKALD Management Consultancy.
The Director-General of Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority, Prof. Usman Zaria, who led the Kaduna delegation to the event, attributed the success to Sani’s visionary leadership and investment in education, innovation, and youth development.
