Israel and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund have announced funding for the fifth edition of the Innovation Fellowship for Aspiring Inventors and Researchers, reaffirming their joint commitment to supporting Nigerian innovators through mentorship, technology transfer and fresh investment.

The announcement was made on Friday at the iFAIR Cohort 4 Closing Ceremony and Innovation Showcase Challenge in Abuja, where participants presented prototypes developed across agriculture, healthcare, clean energy and community innovation.

Outgoing Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, confirmed that funding for iFAIR 5 had been secured and that the programme was scheduled to commence in October 2026.

"I am so proud to stand here today and announce that we have secured with our partners funding for iFAIR 5, and iFAIR 5 will be launching in October 2026," Freeman stated.

The ambassador, who described the event as his final major engagement before departing Nigeria after four and a half years in the role, said the initiative reflected the deepening innovation partnership between both countries. He emphasised that the programme was built around developing local solutions to local challenges rather than transplanting foreign technologies.

"This programme has never been about bringing Israeli solutions to Nigeria. It's been about helping brilliant Nigerian innovators develop Nigerian solutions to Nigerian challenges supported by Israeli experience, mentorship and innovation," he said.

Freeman noted that iFAIR had brought together academia, government, investors, engineers and entrepreneurs to convert ideas into businesses, businesses into jobs and jobs into economic growth. He added that Nigeria and Israel had strengthened cooperation in water management, healthcare, education and technology during his tenure, and thanked TETFund Executive Secretary Sonny Echono and Innov8 Hub for sustaining the initiative.