Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN) concluded the 4th Season of its Prize for Innovation (PFI), a program to identify, support, and scale innovative solutions tackling key challenges in Nigeria’s food production.
The awards ceremony, held at Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, and to be broadcasted on April 7, brought together industry leaders, investors, and aspiring agripreneurs to celebrate innovations that promise to transform Nigeria’s agricultural landscape.
The grand finale showcased six finalists who competed for ₦10 million in prize money and comprehensive business support packages. After a rigorous selection process that began with over 2000 applications, three outstanding winners emerged, each demonstrating innovative solutions to critical challenges in Nigeria’s Livestock sector.
“Sustainability localization is a key strategic imperative for the Group when it comes to food self-sufficiency attainment agenda” said Boye Olusanya, GMD/CEO, FMN, “through the FMN Prize for Innovation, we are progressively investing in businesses with sustainability potentials and are actively solving peculiar Nigerian challenges, this way, sustainability is being localized.”
The top three winners represented diverse agricultural innovations.
The first prize winner, Levitate Aquaria and Breeder Farms, was awarded ₦5 million for their groundbreaking work in producing organic livestock drugs made from 25 different African-grown roots like ginger, turmeric, and dongoyaro, providing farmers with natural, cost-effective treatments.
The second-prize recipient, Vet Konect, secured ₦3 million for their digital animal health platform, which leverages technology to expand veterinary access for livestock farmers and pet owners across Africa.
The third-prize winner, Bionet Innovations, received ₦2 million for their innovative system that converts food waste and livestock droppings into high-protein animal nutrition while developing Livetag, an AI-powered smart health monitoring device for livestock, revolutionizing real-time disease detection and animal care.
The event underscored FMN’s commitment to driving agricultural innovation. With Nigeria facing significant challenges in food production, security, and economic diversification, initiatives like the PFI represent crucial interventions.
“The FMN Prize for Innovation represents our commitment to transforming Nigeria’s agricultural landscape,” said Sadiq Usman, Director, Strategy, and Stakeholder Relations, FMN. This year, we’ve seen extraordinary innovations that go beyond business—solutions, they in-depthly addressed critical challenges facing the Nation’s attainment of food security, productivity, and economic resilience. Our entrepreneurs are not just adding value within their industry of practice; they are building the future of Nigerian agriculture.”
Applications for the 5th Season of the FMN Prize for Innovation are expected to open in the coming months. Interested agricultural entrepreneurs are encouraged to prepare their innovative proposals.
The event concluded with a networking session, allowing finalists to connect with potential investors, industry experts, the renowned Judges who are key players within their industry of practice, and fellow innovators, further amplifying the program’s potential for creating lasting agricultural transformation.
