BATN Foundation Equips Young Women Agribusiness Entrepreneurs

Dike Onwuamaeze

As the world marked International Women’s Day, the BATN Foundation is utilising its empowerment initiatives that equip women with the skills, funding and enterprise support they need to build thriving agribusinesses to highlight the transformative role young women are playing in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

BATN Foundation said in its recent press statement that across Nigeria’s agricultural value chain, young women are increasingly emerging as innovators, entrepreneurs and drivers of rural economic transformation.

It, however, said that despite their enormous potential, many have continued to face structural barriers, including limited access to finance, inadequate technical training and restricted opportunities to scale viable agricultural enterprises.

The foundation said that in recognition of these challenges and opportunities, it has decided to position youth empowerment, particularly for young women, at the centre of its agricultural development strategy.

BATN said that through targeted capacity-building and enterprise development programmes, its foundation is helping to reposition agriculture as a modern, innovation-driven and profitable sector for the next generation.

According to the General Manager of BATN Foundation, Mr. Oludare Odusanya, empowering young women in agriculture remains one of the most effective strategies for strengthening Nigeria’s food systems while creating sustainable economic opportunities.

“Women, particularly young women, are not peripheral to agriculture in Nigeria; they are central to its future. When we equip them with the right skills, resources and opportunities, we are not just supporting individuals; we are strengthening the entire agricultural value chains,” he said.

He added: “Access to finance is one of the biggest barriers women face in agriculture. By providing grants, mentorship and enterprise support, we are enabling young women to build successful agribusinesses that create employment, improve food systems and strengthen community livelihoods.”

The BATN Foundation is executing this strategy through its Farmers for the Future (F4F) Award and the Graduate Agripreneur Programme (GAP).

It said that both programmes are designed to equip young Nigerians with the entrepreneurial skills, mentorship and financial support required to establish sustainable agribusinesses.

According to the foundation, the impacts of these programmes on women’s participation in agriculture has been significant.

It said that the Farmers for the Future Award, women accounted for 53.57 per cent of beneficiaries and have received 60.80 per cent of the total grants disbursed.

“This deliberate allocation reflects the foundation’s commitment to ensuring that female agripreneurs have meaningful access to the capital and support systems required to launch and expand their businesses.

“These investments are already producing compelling success stories across Nigeria’s agribusiness ecosystem,” it said.

Its beneficiaries include the Founder of Pemnia Wellness, Ms. Adebisi Opeyemi, a nutrition-focused entrepreneur that focused on processing Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato into nutritious food products aimed at improving dietary health.

Another beneficiary is the Founder of Nuriswell Foods, Ms. Edeh Felicitas, who is building a fast-growing food processing and packaging business that produces ready-to-cook meal combinations that are designed to offer convenience while promoting healthy eating.

The Founder of Nana’s Delight Foodstuff, Ms. Chinaza Naomi Mbah, who is also a beneficiary said that prior to receiving the Farmers for the Future Award, she had relied on rented equipment for spice production.
She has now acquired her own manufacturing machinery and successfully expanded operations, enabling her to meet increasing demand for indigenous spices both domestically and internationally.

The foundation said that the Graduate Agripreneur Programme has similarly strengthened female agricultural entrepreneurs by providing enterprise training, business mentorship and access to start-up capital.

The beneficiaries include Founder of Sweet Ville, Ms. Khadijah Owolabi Khadijah, who processes meat into value-added products such as kilishi, shredded meat snacks and spice blends; and the Founder of Mojola Farm, Ms. Cynthia Olurunmaiye, who has expanded founder her broiler production business after gaining access to the capital and infrastructure required to scale operations.

BATN Foundation said that it has continued to empower women across rural communities through targeted agricultural interventions designed to enhance productivity and expand income opportunities.

It said that more than 500 women in Bauchi and Akwa Ibom States have benefited from a poultry enterprise initiative that provided sustainable income while improving household nutrition.

“Collectively, these initiatives have directly empowered more than 1,500 women, contributing to improved household incomes, increased food security and stronger economic resilience within rural communities,” the foundation said.

The BATN Foundation said that it’s work also aligned closely with the global development priorities of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Gender Equality (SDG 5) and Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8).