Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre’s

What Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre’s does

The Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre (NCIC) is a Lagos/Abuja-based organization founded in 2018 that operates a climate innovation and green economy development platform targeting Nigeria and West Africa. Its functional model centers on cohort-based training programs, ecosystem mapping, SME capacity building, and climate finance mobilization, delivered primarily to young Nigerians aged 18-35 and to circular economy SMEs across the region. The core product portfolio comprises two flagship initiatives: the Green Youth Upskilling Programme (GYUP), a nine-month training initiative implemented in partnership with Oando Foundation covering renewable energy, waste management, and sustainable mobility (including electric vehicle maintenance), which graduated 25 inaugural participants who collectively received N20 million in seed funding; and DICE Africa (Digital Innovation for Circular Economy), a regionally-scoped program funded by Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) that supports digital transformation of circular economy SMEs across West Africa through ecosystem mapping, regional hackathons, and climate finance mobilization.

The business model is grant-funded rather than commercially-priced. NCIC does not disclose pricing or commercial revenue mechanics; its income stream is managed services-style program delivery underwritten by international development organizations (e.g., IDRC). Distribution is partnership-based, with co-development partners such as Oando Foundation handling recruitment and last-mile program delivery, while NCIC retains leadership over regional cross-border initiatives. Customer segments are hybrid: a primary persona segment (young Nigerians 18-35), a primary business segment (circular economy SMEs), and secondary institutional segments (government and policy stakeholders, including Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Environment). NCIC's core technology stack is not publicly disclosed, and no proprietary technology, patents, software products, or AI capabilities are referenced in available data. The organization's competitive differentiation rests on its coordination role across a multi-stakeholder West African climate innovation ecosystem, anchored by direct engagement with the Federal Ministry of Environment on policy initiatives such as the Marine Litter Prevention Policy Brief.

Name

Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre’s

Legal name

Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre

Website

https://nigeriacic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre (NCIC) is a Lagos/Abuja-based organization that runs green economy training and circular economy programs for young Nigerians and SMEs across West Africa, funded primarily through grants from international development organizations and delivered via institutional partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Climate Innovation Services

akta.pro primary industry

Climate, Environment & Natural Resource Management Aid Programs (BPADABAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Circular Economy & Resource Efficiency (BPADALAM)

Keywords

• Climate innovation programs
• Green skills training
• Circular economy development
• Climate finance mobilization
• Sustainable entrepreneurship support

Headquarters

HQ city

Lagos

HQ country

Nigeria

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: NCIC receives funding from international development organizations such as the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to fund programs like DICE Africa. This represents a grant-based funding model for implementing climate innovation initiatives across West Africa.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

NCIC delivers cohort-based green economy training and upskilling programs for young Nigerians (18-35) and operates regional circular economy acceleration initiatives across West Africa. It channels seed funding, climate finance mobilization, SME capacity building, ecosystem mapping, and policy advocacy to support climate ventures and Nigeria's low-carbon transition.

Product overview

The Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre operates as a climate-focused incubator and accelerator supporting green economy ventures across West Africa. Its portfolio includes the Green Youth Upskilling Programme (GYUP), a nine-month training initiative developed in partnership with Oando Foundation that provides skills development in renewable energy, waste management, and sustainable mobility with seed funding for green enterprise creation; and DICE Africa, a programme funded by the International Development Research Centre to strengthen circular economy practices across West Africa through ecosystem mapping, SME capacity building, climate finance mobilization, and regional hackathons. These programmes collectively support Nigeria's low-carbon transition and green economy development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Green Youth Upskilling Programme (GYUP) A nine-month cohort-based training initiative implemented in partnership with Oando Foundation to build a skilled workforce for Nigeria's low-carbon transition. The programme targets young Nigerians aged 18-35 and covers renewable energy, waste management, and sustainable mobility including electric vehicle maintenance, with seed funding provided to graduates for green enterprise creation.
• DICE Africa (Digital Innovation for Circular Economy) A regional programme led by NCIC and funded by the International Development Research Centre to strengthen circular economy practices across West Africa. It supports digital transformation of circular economy SMEs with emphasis on youth and women participation, including ecosystem mapping, SME capacity building, climate finance mobilization, and regional hackathons.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduated 25 participants in inaugural cohort with N20 million collective seed funding
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Oando FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2026Oando Foundation partners with NCIC to implement the Green Youth Upskilling Programme (GYUP), a nine-month initiative training young Nigerians aged 18-35 in green economy sectors including renewable energy, waste management, and sustainable mobility. The partnership demonstrates NCIC's capacity to co-develop and deliver market-relevant skills programs with corporate foundations.
• Federal Ministry of EnvironmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCIC collaborated with Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Environment to launch a Policy Brief on Marine Litter Prevention in Abuja, bringing together government officials, environmental experts, and stakeholders to address plastic pollution. The partnership provides evidence-based assessment of Nigeria's environmental policies and financing mechanisms.
• PROTEGOflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPROTEGO collaborated with the Federal Ministry of Environment and NCIC to launch the Marine Litter Prevention Policy Brief. PROTEGO's involvement as a key implementing partner in this flagship policy initiative demonstrates expertise in environmental policy development and waste management solutions.
• Dakar (Host City)minorOthersDakar, Senegal served as the host location for the official launch of DICE Africa on March 31, 2026, representing NCIC's expansion into Senegal and West African regional coordination for circular economy innovation.

Scale indicators4 records

Direct peers

• South Africa Climate Innovation Centre: Sister CIC operating in South Africa with comparable green SME incubation, skills training, and policy engagement. Directly comparable as part of the same global CIC franchise targeting different African geographies.
• Ghana Climate Innovation Centre: West African peer in the global CIC network, supporting climate-smart enterprises with advisory, training, and grant funding. Most direct geographic adjacency to NCIC's expansion ambitions in West Africa.
• Kenya Climate Innovation Centre (KCIC): Kenyan counterpart in the global Climate Innovation Centre network, offering incubation, acceleration, and capacity building for green SMEs. Operates the same hub-and-spoke model as NCIC across East Africa, with overlapping donor base (infoDev/World Bank lineage) and target segments.
• Uganda Climate Innovation Centre: Ugandan counterpart running SME incubation, training, and ecosystem-building for the green economy. Operates the same CIC franchise model and targets similar early-stage climate ventures.

Broad incumbents

• Acumen: Global impact investor and accelerator supporting early-stage enterprises addressing poverty across Africa and South Asia. Comparable in combining patient capital, leadership training, and ecosystem support for climate-adjacent SMEs.
• Shell Foundation: Charitable foundation funding enterprise-driven solutions in energy access, mobility, and waste management across Africa and Asia. Comparable as a strategic funder and ecosystem builder for the same types of green SMEs that NCIC supports.
• Climate-KIC: European-based knowledge and innovation community funded by the EU to accelerate climate innovation through incubation, skills, and ecosystem building. Comparable in mission and methodology, though focused on European markets.

Emerging players

• African Climate Foundation: Pan-African philanthropic initiative funding climate solutions and policy advocacy across the continent. Comparable as a regional coordinator and grant-maker addressing climate innovation ecosystems.
• Circle Economy: Impact organization advancing circular economy practice globally, including in Africa. Comparable as a thought leader and program operator in the circular economy space that NCIC's DICE Africa programme also targets.

Regional players

• All On: Nigerian impact investment company backed by Shell funding off-grid and renewable energy enterprises. Comparable as a domestic Nigerian financier and accelerator in the same clean energy and climate innovation segments NCIC targets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nigeriacic
• Facebookfacebook.com/nigeriacic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments3 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre’s