BATN Foundation Awards N10m To 6 Young Agripreneurs

The British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) has empowered six young agripreneurs with a N10 million grant, marking the conclusion of the 2023 Farmers For The Future (F4F) programme.

This initiative, designed to support promising agricultural businesses led by young Nigerians, attracted over 30,000 applications this year, highlighting the strong interest among youth in agriculture and the impact of F4F in nurturing the next generation of agripreneurs.

Adebisi Opeyemi, CEO of Pemnia Wellness, emerged as the grand prize winner, receiving N3 million. Two first runners-up, Edeh Felicitas (CEO, Felinech Global Company Limited) and Williams Ekwebelam (CEO, Bluefish Farm), each received N2 million, while Bernice Oyedele (Bernice’s Farm), Ideede Favour Nukpugi (Favorite Fishery), and Idowu Femi (FMD Agro Concept) were awarded N1 million each as second runners-up.

Beyond financial rewards, the winners will gain access to comprehensive support, including technical assistance, mentorship, business registration guidance, and membership in the F4F alumni network. This holistic approach fosters both business growth and personal development.

Developed in partnership with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and Fate Foundation, F4F demonstrates BATNF’s commitment to empowering young agripreneurs. By providing equity-free capital and comprehensive support, F4F enables promising youth-led agribusinesses to scale up and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

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Since its inception in 2019, F4F has empowered numerous young entrepreneurs, transforming the agribusiness landscape. Success stories like Agrohive, Agrodemy, Sokvikia Enterprises, and Quotidian-V Foods showcase not only revenue increases over 30% but also job creation for young graduates and impactful contributions to society.

“The Farmers for the Future project challenges misconceptions about agriculture and underlines our commitment to nurturing the potentials of young minds in this field,” said Mr. Adetola Oniyelu, Project Manager of BATNF. “We firmly believe that empowering these talented agripreneurs will significantly advance Nigeria’s agricultural landscape.”