Nollywood Icon Emeka Ike to Host National Automation Prize 2026

Nollywood actor and entertainment personality Emeka Ike is set to take his experience beyond the movie industry as he takes on the role of host for the 2026 National Automation Prize (NAP), a major Nigerian platform created to celebrate engineering, technology and innovation.

The announcement brings together two areas that have played important roles in Emeka Ike’s life. While he is widely recognised for his career in Nollywood, the actor has also spoken about his background in engineering and his belief in the ability of Nigerian innovators to contribute to the country’s economic development.

Emeka Ike Takes the Spotlight to Engineering

The National Automation Prize 2026 is organised by Advanxis Technologies & Process Automation Ltd and is designed to identify and celebrate Nigerians developing practical engineering and technological solutions.

As host, Emeka Ike will help bring greater public attention to the innovators participating in the competition and the ideas they are developing to address real-world challenges.

The organisers believe that engineering and technology talents deserve greater visibility, particularly at a time when Nigeria is looking for homegrown solutions in areas such as manufacturing, agriculture, energy, automation and artificial intelligence.

NAP 2026 Offers More Than ₦50 Million in Prizes

The third edition of the National Automation Prize comes with a prize package exceeding ₦50 million in cash, industrial training and technology support.

The competition is expected to provide opportunities for Nigerian engineers, inventors, students, researchers, developers, technicians, makers and other technology-focused innovators to showcase their ideas.

The organisers are also placing emphasis on higher institutions, with the programme expected to provide training, mentorship and advanced equipment support for leading participating institutions.

Areas of Innovation

NAP 2026 covers a broad range of engineering and technology fields. Participants are expected to develop solutions in areas including automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, agriculture, energy, manufacturing, oil and gas, security and other sectors relevant to Nigeria’s development.

The competition is particularly focused on practical innovation rather than ideas that remain only on paper. Participants are expected to demonstrate how their inventions and technologies can be applied to solve real problems.

Emeka Ike’s Engineering Background

Speaking about his new role, Emeka Ike highlighted the connection between his professional life in entertainment and his background in engineering.

The actor said he believes Nigeria’s engineers and technology creators should receive the same level of national attention that entertainers have enjoyed over the years.

His involvement is therefore expected to give NAP 2026 an unusual combination of entertainment and technology, using his public profile to draw attention to the achievements of Nigerian innovators.

A Platform for Nigeria’s Next Generation of Innovators

Since its first edition in 2024, the National Automation Prize has sought to create a platform where Nigerian engineering and technology talents can demonstrate their abilities.

The 2026 edition continues that objective while expanding the focus on practical innovation, mentorship, industry connections and opportunities for promising inventors.

For many young Nigerians working on technological solutions with limited resources, competitions such as NAP can provide an avenue to gain recognition and potentially attract support for further development.

More Than an Entertainment Appearance

Emeka Ike’s appointment as host goes beyond bringing a Nollywood celebrity to a technology event. His involvement is intended to help make engineering and innovation more visible to a wider Nigerian audience.

The organisers hope the event will encourage more young people to see engineering, technology and invention as viable paths to entrepreneurship and national development.

With Emeka Ike bringing the entertainment spotlight to the event, NAP 2026 is set to place Nigerian engineers, inventors and technology creators at the centre of attention.

The National Automation Prize 2026 is organised by Advanxis Technologies & Process Automation Ltd, with the third edition offering a prize package of more than ₦50 million alongside training and technology support.