The BATN Foundation has once again demonstrated its dedication to youth empowerment and sustainable agricultural development by organizing its 2026 Graduate Agripreneur Programme. This initiative, held across three Nigerian tertiary institutions, concluded with the distribution of N1.5 million in equity-free grants to each of the 17 selected outstanding graduate agripreneurs, totaling N25.5 million.
Pitch Events at Three Universities
The competitive pitch events took place at the University of Ilorin, the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, and the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. These events brought together brilliant young minds who presented cutting-edge business concepts aimed at transforming Nigeria's agricultural sector through technology, sustainability, and commercial viability.
Programme Objectives
The Graduate Agripreneur Programme serves as a strategic pillar under the foundation's broader youth empowerment and entrepreneurship initiative. It is designed to bridge the resource gap for young Nigerians by providing equity-free capital, mentorship, and technical support. This enables participants to transform academic knowledge into scalable, wealth-generating agribusiness ventures.
Speaking on the initiative, the General Manager of the Foundation, Oludare Odusanya, emphasized that reshaping Nigeria's economic trajectory requires intentional investment in the youth demographic. He stated that young people hold the master key to the future of agriculture and food sustainability in Nigeria. Through this programme, the foundation is cultivating a new vanguard of agricultural entrepreneurs, moving beyond simply distributing grants to building sustainable, data-driven enterprises capable of driving long-term structural transformation within Nigeria's agricultural ecosystem.
Odusanya said: “Young people remain critical to the future of agriculture in Nigeria. Through initiatives like GAP, BATN Foundation continues to create platforms that support innovation, enterprise development, and sustainable agricultural solutions among youths.”
Rigorous Selection Process
The pitch sessions were rigorous, with graduates presenting solutions across diverse agricultural value chains, including precision crop cultivation, poultry and livestock development, agro-processing, agritech, and commercial beekeeping. An elite panel of agricultural experts and business development consultants evaluated entries based on originality, financial feasibility, scalability, sustainability, and market potential.
Impact and Achievements
Since its inception, the initiative has directly empowered over 60 graduate agripreneurs, disbursing more than N90 million in total. This funding provides vital early-stage runways required to build resilient businesses and brands.
List of Winners
The winners emerged across the participating institutions:
University of Ilorin
- Joseph Awoniyi
- Bisola Sulei
- Abdulrafiu Akanbi
- Sunday Oloba
- Olabanji Fehintola
- Adeola Ayilara
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta
- Sunday John Alomaja
- Omotayo Arowosegbe
- Temitayo Abisodun Eletu
- Abimbola Oyetade
- Hezekiah Toyinbo
- Elizabeth Oshungboye
- Odunayo Fakeye
Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike
- Kenneth Azubike
- Chukwudi Emmanuella Chimechellum
- Ogwuru Prince George
- Grace Omabe
These young agripreneurs are now set to receive not only financial support but also mentorship and technical assistance to help scale their ventures and contribute to Nigeria's agricultural transformation.
