About this opportunity
Microscale Forge is running Build Nigeria 2026, a six-week campus hardware challenge that asks student teams to pick one of five tracks and build a working product from real parts. The five tracks are Off-Grid Power, Embedded and IoT, Smart Agriculture, Mechanical and 3D Fabrication, and Open Hardware, and teams can change track when they submit their build plan.
There are fifteen prizes in all. The 1st prize is a Creality SparkX i7 Combo 3D printer worth ₦950,000, the 2nd prize is an FNIRSI 1014D 100MHz oscilloscope worth ₦320,000, and the 3rd prize is an RC metal chassis car complete kit worth ₦165,000.
Best in Track awards, a People's Choice award and a weekly Build of the Week round these out, and every finalist earns a verified Forge credential. Registration is free.
To compete for the prizes a team needs ₦25,000 of parts from Microscale between them, which the organiser notes is the kind of spend a six-week build needs anyway, and past purchases count. The Grand Final is livestreamed on 19 December 2026.
What you receive
- Fifteen prizes across five build tracks
- A verified Forge credential for every finalist
- A livestreamed Grand Final on 19 December 2026
Who can apply
- Teams of 1 to 4 students from Nigerian universities, polytechnics and colleges of education
- A team needs ₦25,000 of parts from Microscale between them to compete for the prizes
- Registration is free and past parts purchases count
Documents to prepare
- The chosen build track
- Team lead full name, email and WhatsApp number
- Institution and programme details
How to apply
- Read the rules and judging criteria on the challenge page
- Register the team for free before 11 October 2026
- Submit a build plan and source ₦25,000 of parts from Microscale to compete for the prizes
- Build over six weeks and present for the Grand Final
Selection process
- Entries are judged against the rules and judging criteria published on the challenge page
- Winners are announced at the livestreamed Grand Final
Sources and verification
Questions applicants ask
Does it cost anything to enter?
Registration is free, but a team needs ₦25,000 of parts from Microscale between them to compete for the prizes.
Who can form a team?
Teams of 1 to 4 students from Nigerian universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
Important disclaimer
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