More than 10,000 applicants competed for ₦17m in cash prizes at an agribusiness innovation contest supported by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa.
The awards were presented to 10 young Nigerian entrepreneurs at the closing ceremony of the GROW Nigerian National MSME Conference 2026 in Lagos on Tuesday.
The winners emerged from the Youth in Agribusiness Innovation Contest, organised under the Nigerian Business Development Services Ecosystem Project in partnership with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria and other partners.
The competition, which attracted more than 10,000 applications, was open to Nigerians aged between 18 and 35 operating businesses across the agricultural value chain.
The organisers said the large number of applications demonstrated growing interest among young Nigerians in agriculture as a viable business and source of employment.
The selection process involved several stages of assessment, culminating in live pitching sessions facilitated by PLUS Incubation Hub Limited in collaboration with SMEDAN, the Enterprise Development Centre, Kaduna Business School and Jesnoch International Limited.
Cynthia Adams, founder of Yac Farms and Foods Limited, Kaduna State, emerged overall winner and received ₦5m.
Damillare Kazeem of Ofadahub Nigeria Limited, Lagos State, came second with ₦3m, while Kabir Abiso Kabir of Jiwe Integrated Concept, Nasarawa State, won third place with ₦2m.
Seven other finalists received ₦1m each.
They are Chigozirim Israel of Riwe, Federal Capital Territory; Blessing Ejika of Adonroi Spectrum Limited, Niger State; Adejare Adesewa Mary of Brich Agronatural, Oyo State; and Dauda Guto Ahmed of Darab Agro-Allied and General Services, Nasarawa State.
Others are Maryam Mahommed of Farmanta Limited, Niger State; Favour Emmanuel of Temiherbs and Spices Enterprises, Kaduna State; and Amini Muhammad Gaddafi of MGA Allied Global Services, Kaduna State.
Speaking at the ceremony, AGRA’s Country Director for Nigeria, Dr Rufus Idris, represented by Dr Godswill Aguiyi, said the cash prizes should be regarded as the beginning of support for the beneficiaries rather than an end in themselves.
He said financial awards alone could not address the challenges confronting small and medium-scale agricultural businesses in the country.
“This prize is a vote of confidence, not a finish line. A cash award can give a young business the push it needs this year, but on its own it cannot fix what keeps so many of Nigeria’s agricultural SMEs small,” Idris said.
He identified limited access to affordable finance, inadequate mentorship, insufficient business support and difficulties in accessing reliable markets as major obstacles to the growth of agricultural enterprises.
The AGRA country director called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, development partners, financial institutions and private businesses to create an enabling environment for young agripreneurs.
He also stressed the importance of technology, supportive policies and stronger connections between entrepreneurs, buyers and investors.
“More than 10,000 young Nigerians have told us, through their applications, that they see agriculture as a business and a future.
“Our responsibility now, as government, development partners, financiers and the private sector, is to make sure the system around them is ready to back that ambition,” he said.
Responding on behalf of the winners, Adams said the award would strengthen her business and create opportunities to support other young entrepreneurs.
“With this support, we will grow our business, take on new opportunities and mentor more young people to build their own agribusinesses,” she said.
The organisers said the competition formed part of AGRA’s broader efforts to identify promising agricultural businesses, improve their capacity, connect them to finance and markets, and make them attractive to investors.
The initiative is anchored in the Nigerian Business Development Services Ecosystem Project, which seeks to strengthen support structures for agricultural small and medium-scale enterprises.
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