diff --git a/.changeset/hungry-rabbits-learn.md b/.changeset/hungry-rabbits-learn.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cf63485bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/hungry-rabbits-learn.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+"@rnx-kit/build": minor
+---
+
+Bumped `@octokit/core` to 5.0, and dropped support for Node 14 and 16.
+
+Testing shows that at least Node 16 still works if you import `node-fetch`, so technically, if your setup does not enforce Node version, you can still use this package.
diff --git a/incubator/build/package.json b/incubator/build/package.json
index 41db04ef5..cdbfd81d3 100644
--- a/incubator/build/package.json
+++ b/incubator/build/package.json
@@ -39,13 +39,14 @@
     "test": "rnx-kit-scripts test"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@octokit/core": "^4.2.4",
-    "@octokit/plugin-rest-endpoint-methods": "7.2.1",
-    "@octokit/request-error": "^3.0.0",
+    "@octokit/core": "^5.0.0",
+    "@octokit/plugin-rest-endpoint-methods": "^9.0.0",
+    "@octokit/request-error": "^5.0.0",
     "@rnx-kit/config": "^0.6.0",
     "env-paths": "^3.0.0",
     "fast-xml-parser": "^4.0.0",
     "find-up": "^6.3.0",
+    "node-fetch": "^3.3.2",
     "ora": "^6.1.2",
     "pkg-dir": "^7.0.0",
     "qrcode": "^1.5.0",
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@
     "typescript": "^5.0.0"
   },
   "engines": {
-    "node": ">=14.18"
+    "node": ">=18.12"
   },
   "eslintConfig": {
     "extends": "@rnx-kit/eslint-config"
diff --git a/incubator/build/src/remotes/github.ts b/incubator/build/src/remotes/github.ts
index f0c8a59b5..74f44db88 100644
--- a/incubator/build/src/remotes/github.ts
+++ b/incubator/build/src/remotes/github.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { Octokit } from "@octokit/core";
 import type { RestEndpointMethodTypes } from "@octokit/plugin-rest-endpoint-methods";
 import { restEndpointMethods } from "@octokit/plugin-rest-endpoint-methods";
 import { RequestError } from "@octokit/request-error";
+import fetch from "node-fetch";
 import * as fs from "node:fs";
 import * as path from "node:path";
 import * as readline from "node:readline";
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ const workflowRunCache: Record<string, number> = {};
 
 const octokit = once(() => {
   const RestClient = Octokit.plugin(restEndpointMethods);
-  return new RestClient({ auth: getPersonalAccessToken() });
+  return new RestClient({ auth: getPersonalAccessToken(), request: { fetch } });
 });
 
 async function downloadArtifact(
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 4d9f1e25f..82901f31e 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -2767,49 +2767,47 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"@octokit/auth-token@npm:^3.0.0":
-  version: 3.0.3
-  resolution: "@octokit/auth-token@npm:3.0.3"
-  dependencies:
-    "@octokit/types": ^9.0.0
-  checksum: 9b3f569cec1b7e0aa88ab6da68aed4b49b6652261bd957257541fabaf6a4d4ed99f908153cc3dd2fe15b8b0ccaff8caaafaa50bb1a4de3925b0954a47cca1900
+"@octokit/auth-token@npm:^4.0.0":
+  version: 4.0.0
+  resolution: "@octokit/auth-token@npm:4.0.0"
+  checksum: d78f4dc48b214d374aeb39caec4fdbf5c1e4fd8b9fcb18f630b1fe2cbd5a880fca05445f32b4561f41262cb551746aeb0b49e89c95c6dd99299706684d0cae2f
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"@octokit/core@npm:^4.2.4":
-  version: 4.2.4
-  resolution: "@octokit/core@npm:4.2.4"
+"@octokit/core@npm:^5.0.0":
+  version: 5.0.0
+  resolution: "@octokit/core@npm:5.0.0"
   dependencies:
-    "@octokit/auth-token": ^3.0.0
-    "@octokit/graphql": ^5.0.0
-    "@octokit/request": ^6.0.0
-    "@octokit/request-error": ^3.0.0
-    "@octokit/types": ^9.0.0
+    "@octokit/auth-token": ^4.0.0
+    "@octokit/graphql": ^7.0.0
+    "@octokit/request": ^8.0.2
+    "@octokit/request-error": ^5.0.0
+    "@octokit/types": ^11.0.0
     before-after-hook: ^2.2.0
     universal-user-agent: ^6.0.0
-  checksum: ac8ab47440a31b0228a034aacac6994b64d6b073ad5b688b4c5157fc5ee0d1af1c926e6087bf17fd7244ee9c5998839da89065a90819bde4a97cb77d4edf58a6
+  checksum: 1a5d1112a2403d146aa1db7aaf81a31192ef6b0310a1e6f68c3e439fded22bd4b3a930f5071585e6ca0f2f5e7fc4a1aac68910525b71b03732c140e362d26a33
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"@octokit/endpoint@npm:^7.0.0":
-  version: 7.0.5
-  resolution: "@octokit/endpoint@npm:7.0.5"
+"@octokit/endpoint@npm:^9.0.0":
+  version: 9.0.0
+  resolution: "@octokit/endpoint@npm:9.0.0"
   dependencies:
-    "@octokit/types": ^9.0.0
+    "@octokit/types": ^11.0.0
     is-plain-object: ^5.0.0
     universal-user-agent: ^6.0.0
-  checksum: 81c9e9eabf50e48940cceff7c4d7fbc9327190296507cfe8a199ea00cd492caf8f18a841caf4e3619828924b481996eb16091826db6b5a649bee44c8718ecaa9
+  checksum: 0e402c4d0fbe5b8053630cedb30dde5074bb6410828a05dc93d7e0fdd6c17f9a44b66586ef1a4e4ee0baa8d34ef7d6f535e2f04d9ea42909b7fc7ff55ce56a48
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"@octokit/graphql@npm:^5.0.0":
-  version: 5.0.5
-  resolution: "@octokit/graphql@npm:5.0.5"
+"@octokit/graphql@npm:^7.0.0":
+  version: 7.0.1
+  resolution: "@octokit/graphql@npm:7.0.1"
   dependencies:
-    "@octokit/request": ^6.0.0
-    "@octokit/types": ^9.0.0
+    "@octokit/request": ^8.0.1
+    "@octokit/types": ^11.0.0
     universal-user-agent: ^6.0.0
-  checksum: eb2d1a6305a3d1f55ff0ce92fb88b677f0bb789757152d58a79ef61171fb65ecf6fe18d6c27e236c0cee6a0c2600c2cb8370f5ac7184f8e9361c085aa4555bb1
+  checksum: 7ee907987b1b8312c6f870c44455cbd3eed805bb1a4095038f4e7e62ee2e006bd766f2a71dfbe56b870cd8f7558309c602f00d3e252fe59578f4acf6249a4f17
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
@@ -2820,48 +2818,47 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"@octokit/plugin-rest-endpoint-methods@npm:7.2.1":
-  version: 7.2.1
-  resolution: "@octokit/plugin-rest-endpoint-methods@npm:7.2.1"
+"@octokit/plugin-rest-endpoint-methods@npm:^9.0.0":
+  version: 9.0.0
+  resolution: "@octokit/plugin-rest-endpoint-methods@npm:9.0.0"
   dependencies:
-    "@octokit/types": ^9.3.1
+    "@octokit/types": ^11.0.0
   peerDependencies:
-    "@octokit/core": ">=3"
-  checksum: 069e52305f9d2e85fb83819a80860e526b9da2e0936640975f749a2c63020674053e6f4b5af771651a93320172579b0779bf3d663c8adcd090f152aac29f4ad4
+    "@octokit/core": ">=5"
+  checksum: 8795cb29be042c839098886a03c2ec6051e3fd7a29f16f4f8a487aa2d85ceb00df8a4432499a43af550369bd730ce9b1b9d7eeff768745b80a3e67698ca9a5dd
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"@octokit/request-error@npm:^3.0.0":
-  version: 3.0.3
-  resolution: "@octokit/request-error@npm:3.0.3"
+"@octokit/request-error@npm:^5.0.0":
+  version: 5.0.0
+  resolution: "@octokit/request-error@npm:5.0.0"
   dependencies:
-    "@octokit/types": ^9.0.0
+    "@octokit/types": ^11.0.0
     deprecation: ^2.0.0
     once: ^1.4.0
-  checksum: 5db0b514732686b627e6ed9ef1ccdbc10501f1b271a9b31f784783f01beee70083d7edcfeb35fbd7e569fa31fdd6762b1ff6b46101700d2d97e7e48e749520d0
+  checksum: 2012eca66f6b8fa4038b3bfe81d65a7134ec58e2caf45d229aca13b9653ab260abd95229bd1a8c11180ee0bcf738e2556831a85de28f39b175175653c3b79fdd
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"@octokit/request@npm:^6.0.0":
-  version: 6.2.3
-  resolution: "@octokit/request@npm:6.2.3"
+"@octokit/request@npm:^8.0.1, @octokit/request@npm:^8.0.2":
+  version: 8.1.1
+  resolution: "@octokit/request@npm:8.1.1"
   dependencies:
-    "@octokit/endpoint": ^7.0.0
-    "@octokit/request-error": ^3.0.0
-    "@octokit/types": ^9.0.0
+    "@octokit/endpoint": ^9.0.0
+    "@octokit/request-error": ^5.0.0
+    "@octokit/types": ^11.1.0
     is-plain-object: ^5.0.0
-    node-fetch: ^2.6.7
     universal-user-agent: ^6.0.0
-  checksum: fef4097be8375d20bb0b3276d8a3adf866ec628f2b0664d334f3c29b92157da847899497abdc7a5be540053819b55564990543175ad48f04e9e6f25f0395d4d3
+  checksum: dec3ba2cba14739159cd8d1653ad8ac6d58095e4ac294d312d20ce2c63c60c3cad2e5499137244dba3d681fd5cd7f74b4b5d4df024a19c0ee1831204e5a3a894
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"@octokit/types@npm:^9.0.0, @octokit/types@npm:^9.3.1":
-  version: 9.3.2
-  resolution: "@octokit/types@npm:9.3.2"
+"@octokit/types@npm:^11.0.0, @octokit/types@npm:^11.1.0":
+  version: 11.1.0
+  resolution: "@octokit/types@npm:11.1.0"
   dependencies:
     "@octokit/openapi-types": ^18.0.0
-  checksum: f55d096aaed3e04b8308d4422104fb888f355988056ba7b7ef0a4c397b8a3e54290d7827b06774dbe0c9ce55280b00db486286954f9c265aa6b03091026d9da8
+  checksum: 72627a94ddaf7bc14db06572bcde67649aad608cd86548818380db9305f4c0ca9ca078a62dd883858a267e8ec8fd596a0fce416aa04197c439b9548efef609a7
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
@@ -3441,9 +3438,9 @@ __metadata:
   version: 0.0.0-use.local
   resolution: "@rnx-kit/build@workspace:incubator/build"
   dependencies:
-    "@octokit/core": ^4.2.4
-    "@octokit/plugin-rest-endpoint-methods": 7.2.1
-    "@octokit/request-error": ^3.0.0
+    "@octokit/core": ^5.0.0
+    "@octokit/plugin-rest-endpoint-methods": ^9.0.0
+    "@octokit/request-error": ^5.0.0
     "@rnx-kit/config": ^0.6.0
     "@rnx-kit/scripts": "*"
     "@types/qrcode": ^1.4.2
@@ -3452,6 +3449,7 @@ __metadata:
     fast-xml-parser: ^4.0.0
     find-up: ^6.3.0
     jest: ^29.2.1
+    node-fetch: ^3.3.2
     ora: ^6.1.2
     pkg-dir: ^7.0.0
     prettier: ^3.0.0
@@ -6273,6 +6271,13 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"data-uri-to-buffer@npm:^4.0.0":
+  version: 4.0.1
+  resolution: "data-uri-to-buffer@npm:4.0.1"
+  checksum: 0d0790b67ffec5302f204c2ccca4494f70b4e2d940fea3d36b09f0bb2b8539c2e86690429eb1f1dc4bcc9e4df0644193073e63d9ee48ac9fce79ec1506e4aa4c
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "dayjs@npm:^1.8.15":
   version: 1.10.4
   resolution: "dayjs@npm:1.10.4"
@@ -7376,6 +7381,16 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"fetch-blob@npm:^3.1.2, fetch-blob@npm:^3.1.4":
+  version: 3.2.0
+  resolution: "fetch-blob@npm:3.2.0"
+  dependencies:
+    node-domexception: ^1.0.0
+    web-streams-polyfill: ^3.0.3
+  checksum: f19bc28a2a0b9626e69fd7cf3a05798706db7f6c7548da657cbf5026a570945f5eeaedff52007ea35c8bcd3d237c58a20bf1543bc568ab2422411d762dd3d5bf
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "figures@npm:3.2.0":
   version: 3.2.0
   resolution: "figures@npm:3.2.0"
@@ -7574,6 +7589,15 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"formdata-polyfill@npm:^4.0.10":
+  version: 4.0.10
+  resolution: "formdata-polyfill@npm:4.0.10"
+  dependencies:
+    fetch-blob: ^3.1.2
+  checksum: 82a34df292afadd82b43d4a740ce387bc08541e0a534358425193017bf9fb3567875dc5f69564984b1da979979b70703aa73dee715a17b6c229752ae736dd9db
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "fresh@npm:0.5.2":
   version: 0.5.2
   resolution: "fresh@npm:0.5.2"
@@ -10665,6 +10689,13 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"node-domexception@npm:^1.0.0":
+  version: 1.0.0
+  resolution: "node-domexception@npm:1.0.0"
+  checksum: ee1d37dd2a4eb26a8a92cd6b64dfc29caec72bff5e1ed9aba80c294f57a31ba4895a60fd48347cf17dd6e766da0ae87d75657dfd1f384ebfa60462c2283f5c7f
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "node-fetch@npm:^2.2.0, node-fetch@npm:^2.6.0, node-fetch@npm:^2.6.7":
   version: 2.6.7
   resolution: "node-fetch@npm:2.6.7"
@@ -10679,6 +10710,17 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"node-fetch@npm:^3.3.2":
+  version: 3.3.2
+  resolution: "node-fetch@npm:3.3.2"
+  dependencies:
+    data-uri-to-buffer: ^4.0.0
+    fetch-blob: ^3.1.4
+    formdata-polyfill: ^4.0.10
+  checksum: 06a04095a2ddf05b0830a0d5302699704d59bda3102894ea64c7b9d4c865ecdff2d90fd042df7f5bc40337266961cb6183dcc808ea4f3000d024f422b462da92
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "node-gyp-build@npm:^4.3.0":
   version: 4.6.0
   resolution: "node-gyp-build@npm:4.6.0"
@@ -13844,6 +13886,13 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"web-streams-polyfill@npm:^3.0.3":
+  version: 3.2.1
+  resolution: "web-streams-polyfill@npm:3.2.1"
+  checksum: b119c78574b6d65935e35098c2afdcd752b84268e18746606af149e3c424e15621b6f1ff0b42b2676dc012fc4f0d313f964b41a4b5031e525faa03997457da02
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "webidl-conversions@npm:^3.0.0":
   version: 3.0.1
   resolution: "webidl-conversions@npm:3.0.1"