BATN Foundation Awards N10m to Winners of Farmers for the Future Initiative

Dike Onwuamaeze

The BATN Foundation has announced six outstanding agripreneurs as winners of its 2025 “Farmers for the Future” (F4F) competition.

The winners are Daniel Akogwu Jacob of Aretecom Limited, who emerged as the top winner, securing ₦3 million to scale his venture; Emmanuel Mary of Zibah Foods and Akinloye John of Geentead Farm NG, who were named second-place winners, each receiving ₦2 million in funding support.

The third place was shared by three innovative entrepreneurs, namely Ikhahon Robinson of Heabron Farm Limited; Adetuberu Sikeade of Lycos Nutrients Enterprises, and Haruna Godwin of Yaroson Agro Business, who were each awarded ₦1 million.

Beyond financial support, the winners would benefit from capacity building, business development guidance, and inclusion in the F4F alumni community, which will give them continuous exposure and access to partnerships long after the competition.

The awards were presented recently during the biennial Agribusiness Dialogue Session that was held in Lagos with the theme “Is the Smallholder Farmer Finance-able?”

The F4F initiative is designed to shift the perception of agriculture from a last resort to a viable and scalable business opportunity, in partnership with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to inspire and empower young Nigerians.

It is open to any serving NYSC’s member who has innovative agribusiness ideas or existing enterprises.

The programme provides equity-free grants, mentorship, technical assistance, and market linkages.
The BATN Foundation uses the initiative to actively address unemployment, build youth capacity, and position agriculture as a viable career path for young Nigerians.

Speaking on the significance of the F4F initiative, the General Manager of the BATN Foundation, Mr. Oludare Odusanya, emphasised that the programme is about reimagining the role of young people in agriculture.

He said : “The vision of ‘Farmers for the Future’ is to show young Nigerians that agriculture is not just survival; it is innovation, enterprise, and opportunity.

“By supporting youth with the right financing, mentorship, and networks, we are building a new generation of agripreneurs who will drive food security, create jobs, and power Nigeria’s economic diversification.
“These winners represent the resilience, creativity, and ambition that the programme was designed to nurture.”

Since its launching in 2002, the F4F programme has demonstrated significant impact.
Past winners, such as Pemnia Wellness, have leveraged their grants to move from prototype to market, secure regulatory approvals, expand product lines, and engage women farmers in their supply chains.
These success stories reinforced BATNF’s belief that supporting youth is one of the surest ways to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

The BATN Foundation has delivered more than 300 community development projects across the country with a sustained focus on agriculture, skills development, environmental stewardship, and rural livelihoods.
By investing in initiatives like the F4F programme, the BATN Foundation is aligning its work with Nigeria’s broader goals of food security, economic diversification, and job creation.

Through F4F, foundation is not only rewarding excellence but also creating the conditions for youth-led ventures to thrive, scale, and transform communities across Nigeria.