In a remarkable celebration of youth innovation and entrepreneurship, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), in partnership with Microvis Microfinance Bank and Baobab Microfinance Bank, awarded a total of N5 million to three outstanding young Nigerian innovators at the SMEDAN Talent Hunt while the other contestants went home with consolation prize money.
The competition, which focused on groundbreaking solutions to reduce post-harvest losses in Nigeria’s agricultural sector, saw brilliant young minds from across the country pitch their inventive ideas to a panel of industry experts and stakeholders.
Emerging as the overall winner and walking away with a grand prize of N2 million was a young entrepreneur whose innovation promises significant impact on food preservation and waste reduction. The first runner-up received N1.5 million, while the second runner-up was awarded N1 million for their equally impactful inventions.
Key stakeholders present at the event included representatives from the Federal Institute for Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) and the National Agency for Science Engineering and Infrastructure (NASENI), who commended the young participants for their ingenuity and reaffirmed their agencies’ commitment to supporting homegrown innovations.
The Director General of SMEDAN, Charles Odii in his remarks, highlighted the Agency’s dedication to creating platforms that harness the creative energies of Nigerian youth.
“Nigeria’s future lies in the hands of our innovative youth. With the right support, their ideas can solve national problems and create jobs,” he said.
He further reiterated the commitment of the Agency to supporting the mandate of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in providing food security for Nigerians through the GROW strategy being implemented by SMEDAN.
