At a Glance

Program Name: AYuTe Africa Challenge Nigeria.

Funding Type: Cash prizes plus enterprise development support (coaching, mentorship, exposure, links to financiers and investors).

Funding Amount: Total pool of 40,000 USD (Winner: 20,000 USD; 1st Runner-Up: 12,000 USD; 2nd Runner-Up: 8,000 USD), paid in naira at Heifer’s official exchange rate.

Application Deadline: 14 March 2026, 5 pm WAT.

Program Focus: Identifying and supporting early- and growth-stage youth-led agritech enterprises whose technology solutions improve productivity, income, resilience, and overall livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Nigeria.

Location: Nigeria (for youth-led agritech businesses registered or registering in Nigeria).

About the Program

The AYuTe Africa Challenge Nigeria is an enterprise development program initiated by Heifer International and implemented by Wennovation Hub to nurture innovative, technology-driven agric-centric ventures.

It aims to help youth-led agritech businesses grow and scale while deepening their impact on smallholder farmers through increased revenue, reduced labour, better access to information, and stronger resilience.

Program Benefits

Cash Awards: 40,000 USD total in non-equity prize funding for the top three enterprises (20,000 USD, 12,000 USD, and 8,000 USD respectively).

Coaching & Mentorship: Personalized mentorship and a bootcamp for top finalists to translate training into real business implementation.

Technical Assistance: Support to strengthen MVPs as well as business and financial models.

Investment & Market Access: Links to financial and investment opportunities, plus networking and visibility with investors and stakeholders.

Eligibility Criteria

You are eligible to apply if you:

• Are a Nigerian citizen and permanent resident, aged 18–35, with valid national ID.
• Are the CEO, founder, or co-founder of a youth-led agritech business, actively involved in operations and leadership.
• Lead a company that is registered or in the process of registering in Nigeria and offers an identifiable agritech innovation addressing smallholder farmers’ challenges (productivity, income, labour, resilience, information access, etc.).
• Can provide financial statements, have no criminal record related to financial or other serious offences, and have potential for partnerships, job creation, poverty reduction, and alignment with national policies and SDGs.

Application Timeline

Application Period: 22 January – 14 March 2026 (closes 5 pm WAT)

Apply Here

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