News in brief:
– Lagos State has launched applications for Agrithon 2025, offering ₦150 million in grants to support youth-led agritech startups.
– The initiative aims to boost climate-smart agricultural innovation and food system sustainability across Lagos.
The Lagos State Government has officially opened applications for Lagos Agrithon 2025, an agricultural innovation challenge to empower youth-led startups in the agrifood sector.
Lagos Agrithon, launched in 2024, serves as a platform for startups to pitch scalable, climate-smart solutions to food security, sustainability, and productivity challenges in agriculture. The 2025 edition offers a ₦150 million grant pool, with at least 35 startups expected to benefit.
“This is more than a contest—it’s a movement,” said the state’s commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms Abisola Olusanya. “We’re building a future-proof food system by investing in youth innovation and agritech.”
To qualify, applicants must be part of a registered Lagos-based startup operating in agriculture or food systems and have a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). Applicants must be between 18 and 40 years old. Individual applications will not be accepted. Eligible businesses must also be enrolled with LASSRA and registered with Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
Applications are open from June 2 to June 27. Shortlisted startups will participate in virtual and physical pitch sessions and receive mentorship to refine their business models ahead of the Lagos Agrinnovation Summit 2.0, where winners will be announced.
In 2024, agritech ventures like PricePally, Eti Farms Global, and Leky Mills received a combined ₦100 million in grants, supporting innovations across the agricultural value chain.
“The kind of ideas we are looking for are climate-smart and sustainable agriculture, food production and processing across the value chain, precision farming, agri-fintech, and digital innovation, post-harvest storage, logistics, and food traceability,” the commissioner adds.
The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund and other partners are backing this year’s initiative, urging youth to seize the opportunity to scale their ventures.
Mrs Feyisayo Alayande, the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), urged the youth to take advantage of the Lagos Agrithon.
“We were impressed by the calibre of pitches we saw at last year’s Agrithon competition,” Alayande said. “I urge all the youth out there to bring their A-game to this competition, do not take this opportunity for granted.”
Full application details are available on the Lagos Agrinnovation and the Ministry of Agriculture websites.
