The Federal Government has challenged young innovators to harness technology to transform Nigeria’s agricultural sector and strengthen food security. Winners of the 2026 Agriculture, Youth, and Technology (AYuTe) Nigeria Challenge received $40,000 in grants.
The call was made at the grand finale of the fifth edition of the AYuTe Nigeria Challenge, organized by Heifer Nigeria, on Monday in Abuja.
The initiative aims to empower youth-led agritech enterprises with grants, mentorship, market access, technical support, and other resources to scale innovations that address challenges faced by smallholder farmers and Nigeria’s food systems.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Aliyu Abdullahi, emphasized that Nigeria can no longer rely solely on traditional farming to feed its rapidly growing population. He stressed the need to transition to technology-driven, high-yield commercial agriculture.
Abdullahi highlighted that Nigeria’s greatest assets for agricultural transformation are its youthful population and technological ingenuity.
He pointed out that deploying precision farming, drone technology, AI-driven crop monitoring, and digital supply chain platforms could greatly improve productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, and make farming more profitable.
“Our youth are energetic, resilient, innovative, and inherently tech-savvy. By deploying smart technologies—from precision farming and drone tech to AI crop monitoring—we can significantly increase yields, manage pests and diseases, reduce post-harvest losses, and make farming highly profitable,” he said.
He added that the $40,000 funding from Heifer Nigeria would serve as a catalyst for promising agritech ventures. Mentorship, exposure, and industry validation from the competition would help beneficiaries grow nationally and globally.
The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for agritech innovation through policies that improve young people’s access to land, credit, modern inputs, and strategic partnerships that turn ideas into practical solutions for farmers.
He urged finalists to continue refining their innovations, regardless of the competition’s outcome, as their solutions address real challenges in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
Dr. Lekan Tobe, Country Director of Heifer Nigeria, stated that the AYuTe Challenge was established to make agriculture attractive to young people while leveraging their creativity to transform the country’s food systems.
He explained that the program extends beyond the annual competition by providing ongoing mentorship, business support, networking opportunities, and investment links for the top 10 finalists.
“Agriculture cannot be transformed without technology. We’ve known this for years, and now we are bringing it to the forefront. We are ensuring that these technologies are in the hands of youth, who are using them to drive change in agriculture and the economy,” Tobe said.
He noted that over 60% of Nigeria’s population is young, and their energy and innovation are vital to achieving the government’s one-trillion-dollar economy target.
Tobe emphasized that the initiative places innovative technologies in the hands of young entrepreneurs capable of driving meaningful change across agricultural value chains.
Mr. Chuba Ezeigwe, Communications Manager of Heifer Nigeria, said the program has made significant impact over five years, with many agritech enterprises expanding their reach from a few farmers to tens of thousands.
He highlighted that the project supports practical, affordable, accessible, and scalable innovations that directly address smallholder farmers’ challenges.
Earlier, Mr. Ronald Wokoma, Registrar and CEO of the Equipment Leasing Registration Authority (ELRA), noted many Nigerian youths have innovative ideas, relevant skills, and determination but face challenges accessing equipment and technology needed to grow their businesses.
He announced a proposed partnership between ELRA and Heifer Nigeria to establish the ELRA-Heifer Youth Enterprise Leasing Initiative, providing affordable leasing options for youth-owned enterprises.
This initiative aims to improve access to tractors, irrigation systems, agro-processing equipment, cold storage, delivery vehicles, renewable energy, and ICT tools—boosting productivity, job creation, financial inclusion, and food security.
At the event, Kelechi Oleka, founder of Kyoko Foods Ltd, was declared the overall winner of the 2026 AYuTe Nigeria Challenge and received a $20,000 grant.
Bello Amos-Bwala, founder of Agrigoo Trades and Commodity, secured second place with $12,000, while Udokanma George of Yemert Nigeria Ltd took third and received $8,000.
The event also featured a university roadshow, a panel discussion on youth-led agritech innovation for Nigeria’s food system transformation, and the unveiling of the top three winners of the 2026 AYuTe Africa Challenge Nigeria.
