Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) · Nigeria
Applications are open for the AGRA SMEDAN Youth Agri Innovation Contest 2026, a national competition designed to identify, train and support young Nigerian entrepreneurs working in agriculture and agrifood value chains. The initiative aims to help young agripreneurs strengthen their businesses, improve their access to finance and connect with potential investors and commercial partners.
The contest brings together the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and Jesnoch International Limited. It is delivered by Plus Incubation Hub Nigeria Limited under an AGRA funded project focused on strengthening business development services and access to finance for agricultural small and medium enterprises.
The programme is open to Nigerian youth aged 18 to 35 who are developing or operating agribusinesses. Applicants can come from any state in Nigeria and may be at different stages of business development, from an early idea to an established enterprise. The contest places particular emphasis on maize, rice, soybean and related agrifood value chains.
The AGRA SMEDAN Youth Agri Innovation Contest seeks to address a common challenge facing young agricultural entrepreneurs: promising business ideas and agricultural enterprises often struggle to obtain the knowledge, networks and capital needed to grow.
By connecting entrepreneurship training with access to finance, the contest aims to help participants understand how to strengthen their business models, demonstrate commercial potential and prepare for discussions with lenders, investors and other industry partners.
The programme is designed for individual applicants representing an agribusiness. Applicants are not required to have a fully established company at the idea stage, but the business must meet one of the programme’s accepted registration requirements. These include registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission as a business name or limited company, SMEDAN MSME registration, or registered membership of a cooperative society.
The competition is open nationally, although some training and finalist opportunities are weighted towards Niger, Nasarawa and Kaduna States under the wider project. Applicants from other Nigerian states are also eligible to compete.
Successful applicants and selected participants may benefit from the following:
• Certified training in access to finance.
• Practical instruction in agribusiness fundamentals and financial literacy.
• Guidance on investment readiness and preparing a business for financing.
• Pitching opportunities assessed by expert reviewers.
• Opportunities to connect with banks, agricultural lenders, development finance institutions and impact investors.
• Seed capital and business support for ten winners.
• Six months of mentorship and aftercare for winners.
• An opportunity to showcase innovative agribusinesses to potential financiers and commercial partners.
• Feedback for applicants through the contest process.
• Access to nationwide virtual training for eligible applicants.
The contest focuses on four agricultural value chain areas.
• Maize: Businesses working across maize production, processing and the supply chain connecting farms to feed mills.
• Rice: Ventures involved in rice production, paddy handling, processing and the transformation of paddy into milled grain.
• Soybean: Businesses focused on soybean production, processing, protein products and other value addition opportunities.
• Allied commodities: Other agrifood value chains that contribute to agricultural enterprise development and food production.
Applicants should be able to explain how their business or proposed venture relates to one of these focus areas.
Applicants should meet the following requirements:
• Be a Nigerian citizen aged 18 to 35.
• Live in any state in Nigeria.
• Be running an agribusiness or actively developing an agricultural business idea.
• Operate within maize, rice, soybean or another relevant agrifood value chain.
• Have a venture at the idea stage, early development stage or an established business stage.
• Ensure the agribusiness has an accepted registration route through the Corporate Affairs Commission, SMEDAN MSME registration or registered cooperative membership.
• Apply as an individual entrepreneur representing the business.
Women, young people living in rural communities and persons with disabilities are particularly encouraged to participate.
Applicants should carefully review the official contest rules to confirm that their business registration and proposed activities satisfy the requirements.
The programme includes several stages intended to help eligible young entrepreneurs develop their skills and compete for further support.
• October 16, 2026: Application deadline.
• October 17, 2026: Nationwide virtual training covering agribusiness fundamentals, financial literacy, access to finance and investment readiness.
• October 21 to 22, 2026: In person training for selected participants in Niger, Nasarawa and Kaduna States.
• October 29, 2026: Pitching event and Grand Finale for finalists in Lagos.
• November 8 to 10, 2026: National showcase and award ceremony in Lagos.
The organisers state that eligible applicants will be invited to the virtual training. The additional in person training is intended for selected participants in the three designated states. Participation in training is separate from contest judging and does not automatically improve an applicant’s competition score.
The contest is intended to identify youth led agricultural ventures with potential to develop and grow. Applicants should present their businesses clearly and demonstrate how their activities relate to the selected agricultural value chain.
The competition includes expert review and pitching rounds. Finalists will have an opportunity to present their ventures, while the organisers will connect participants with relevant finance and business support networks.
Applicants should ensure that their information is accurate, their business activities are clearly explained and their registration status is correctly reported in the application.
Interested applicants can submit their applications through the official contest website.
Applicants should note that submitting an application does not guarantee selection as a finalist or winner.
The deadline for the AGRA SMEDAN Youth Agri Innovation Contest 2026 is October 16, 2026.
Young Nigerian agripreneurs working in maize, rice, soybean and allied agrifood value chains are encouraged to apply before the closing date. The contest offers an opportunity to develop financing skills, present agricultural business ideas to expert reviewers and compete for seed capital, mentorship and connections with potential financiers.
Nigeria
Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
End of Content.
Do you have a scholarship, job opening, grant, fellowship, or event you’d like to share with a wider audience? Opportunity Desk gives you the platform to reach thousands of students and young professionals who are actively seeking opportunities like yours.
At Opportunity Desk, we go beyond simply sharing opportunities, we make them accessible, relevant, and tailored to your growth journey.
© 2023 Created with Kredibble Creatives & IT Agency
Be the first to comment on this opportunity.