About this opportunity
This contest was built around a plain problem: agriculture employs more young Nigerians than any other sector, yet the people with the best ideas rarely get advice or capital. AGRA and SMEDAN, with Jesnoch International Limited, run it under the AGRA funded project on strengthening business development services and access to finance for agricultural small and medium enterprises, and Plus Incubation Hub Nigeria Limited delivers it on the ground. The call is national and it is genuinely open, from idea stage to a growing business, in maize, rice, soybean and other agrifood value chains, and also across climate smart farming, agri tech, agro processing, supply chains, agri finance, insurance and farm security.
The money is real and it is front loaded. The winner takes 5,000,000 naira, the first runner up 3,000,000 naira, the second runner up 2,000,000 naira, and each of the remaining seven in the top ten receives 1,000,000 naira, which adds up to 17,000,000 naira across the ten winners. Alongside the cash, the ten winners get seed funding support, structured incubation, six months of mentorship and aftercare, and direct introductions to the banks, development finance institutions, agri lenders and impact investors sitting in the Deal Room. Thirty finalists pitch live at the Grand Finale in Lagos on Thursday 29 October 2026, in the room and online, and the prizes are conferred publicly at the National MSME Conference in Lagos from 8 to 10 November 2026.
What makes this one worth an hour of your week even if you do not win is the training. Every applicant who passes the
Eligibility
check is invited to a free nationwide Virtual Training Day on Saturday 17 October 2026, covering agribusiness fundamentals, business planning, financial management and record keeping, market access, and how to actually access finance. The sessions are recorded and shared, so you can work through the modules in your own time. A further 120 young people receive two full days of in person, hands on training delivered concurrently in Niger, Nasarawa and Kaduna on Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 October 2026, with in person places given to eligible applicants resident in each state in order of verified, complete submission, and standing floors of at least 12 women and at least 8 rural participants per state. Selection for training is separate from the contest judging and carries no advantage in the competition. The certified access to finance programme runs eight modules and is delivered in English and Hausa.
To apply you must be a Nigerian citizen aged between 18 and 35 on the closing date, and your agribusiness must be registered under one of three routes: a Corporate Affairs Commission registration as a business name or limited company, an SMEDAN MSME registration, or registered membership of a cooperative society. The application itself is individual, one named person applies, is assessed, pitches and is awarded, and the registration requirement attaches to the business because seed funding must be paid to an entity that can lawfully receive and account for it. If you are not yet registered, SMEDAN MSME registration is free and can be completed online in minutes at smedan.gov.ng, and applicants who register before the closing date are eligible. You do not need land, collateral or a finished product. Sixty per cent of finalist and training places are weighted towards Niger, Nasarawa and Kaduna, the focal states of the parent project, with applicants from every other state competing for the remainder on the same published rubric. The form has three short stages and you can save and continue at any time, but the clock is short. The official portal states that applications close on Friday 16 October 2026 at 23:59 WAT, and late or incomplete entries cannot be accepted, so treat the closing as Thursday 15 October if you want to be certain of catching it, since the promotional flyer for the contest prints 15 October.
What you receive
- 17,000,000 naira in cash prizes across ten winners, with 5,000,000 naira for the winner
- Seed funding support and structured incubation for the ten winners
- Six months of mentorship and aftercare for winners, plus direct introductions to financiers and buyers
- A live pitch at the Grand Finale in Lagos on Thursday 29 October 2026 for the 30 finalists, in the room and online
- A Deal Room with banks, development finance institutions, agri lenders and impact investors
- A free nationwide Virtual Training Day on Saturday 17 October 2026 for every applicant who passes the eligibility check, recorded so it can be completed in your own time
- Two days of in person, hands on training in Niger, Nasarawa and Kaduna on 21 and 22 October 2026 for a further 120 young people
- An eight module certified access to finance programme delivered in English and Hausa
- Profile of outstanding innovations in an Innovation Showcase Register, with feedback given to every applicant
- Public conferring of prizes at the National MSME Conference in Lagos from 8 to 10 November 2026
Who can apply
- A Nigerian citizen aged between 18 and 35 on the closing date
- Running or launching an agribusiness, at idea stage, early stage or a growing enterprise
- Working in maize, rice, soybean or other agrifood value chains, including climate smart farming, agri tech, agro processing, supply chains, agri finance, insurance and farm security
- An agribusiness registered under one of three routes: Corporate Affairs Commission registration as a business name or limited company, SMEDAN MSME registration, or registered membership of a cooperative society
- Open to applicants from every state in Nigeria, all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory are listed on the form
- An individual application by one named person, not a group or cooperative entry
- Women, rural youth and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply
Who should not apply
- Applicants outside the 18 to 35 age band and non Nigerian citizens cannot apply
- An agribusiness with no registration under any of the three accepted routes, although free SMEDAN MSME registration completed before the closing date qualifies
- Late or incomplete entries after Friday 16 October 2026 at 23:59 WAT cannot be accepted
- Land, collateral and a finished product are not required, so their absence is not a disqualification
Documents to prepare
- Your legal name as it appears on your ID, date of birth, gender, phone number, optional WhatsApp number and email address
- Your state of residence, local government area, community or town and home address, and whether you live in a rural or an urban area
- The Nigerian languages you can speak
- Your Corporate Affairs Commission registration number, your SMEDAN MSME registration, or your cooperative certificate of registration
- Details of your agribusiness, its value chain and what stage it is at
- A description of the practical problem your idea solves and the impact you can show
How to apply
- Confirm you are a Nigerian citizen aged 18 to 35 and that your agribusiness holds one of the three accepted registrations
- If it does not, complete a free SMEDAN MSME registration online at smedan.gov.ng before the closing date
- Open the official application form and start Stage 1, the applicant profile, which takes about five minutes
- Move through Stage 2 on your business and Stage 3 on impact and submission, using Save progress at any time since your answers are also kept on your device
- Submit before Friday 16 October 2026 at 23:59 WAT, since late or incomplete entries cannot be accepted
- Keep the application reference number you receive, you will need it for any communication with the programme team
- Attend the free Virtual Training Day on Saturday 17 October 2026, or complete the recorded modules in your own time
Selection process
- Applications run from Friday 9 October 2026 and close on Friday 16 October 2026 at 23:59 WAT
- Eligibility is checked first, and every applicant who passes the check is invited to the nationwide Virtual Training Day on 17 October 2026
- In person training places in Niger, Nasarawa and Kaduna are offered in order of verified, complete submission, with at least 12 women and at least 8 rural participants per state
- Expert reviewers judge the pitch rounds, and 30 finalists are selected to pitch live at the Grand Finale on 29 October 2026
- Sixty per cent of finalist and training places are weighted towards Niger, Nasarawa and Kaduna, the focal states of the parent project, with applicants from every other state competing for the remainder on the same published rubric
- Ten winners are chosen for the cash prizes, seed funding support and mentorship, and the award is made at the National MSME Conference in Lagos from 8 to 10 November 2026
- Selecting an applicant for training is separate from contest judging and carries no advantage in the competition
- Every applicant receives feedback, and submitting does not guarantee selection
Sources and verification
Questions applicants ask
Who can apply?
Nigerian citizens aged 18 to 35 who are running or launching an agribusiness anywhere in Nigeria, from idea stage to a growing enterprise.
Do I need to live in a particular state?
No, applicants from every state are welcome. Sixty per cent of finalist and training places are weighted towards Niger, Nasarawa and Kaduna, the focal states of the parent project, and everyone else competes for the remainder on the same published rubric.
Does my business need to be registered?
Yes, under one of three routes: Corporate Affairs Commission registration as a business name or limited company, SMEDAN MSME registration, or registered membership of a cooperative society. SMEDAN MSME registration is free and can be done online in minutes, and registering before the closing date makes you eligible. You do not need land, collateral or a finished product.
Is this an individual or a group application?
It is individual. One named person aged 18 to 35 applies, is assessed, pitches and is awarded. The registration requirement attaches to the business because seed funding must be paid to an entity that can lawfully receive and account for it, and cooperative membership is accepted as evidence of a lawful trading vehicle, not as a group entry.
Can I save my application and finish later?
Yes. Use Save progress at any time and your answers are also kept on your device.
What happens after I submit?
You receive an application reference number, which you should keep for any communication with the programme team. Submitting does not guarantee selection.
Can I change my application after submitting?
Not through the form. You contact the programme team with your reference number.
What if I do not win?
You still leave with the free training. Every applicant who passes the eligibility check is invited to the nationwide Virtual Training Day on Saturday 17 October 2026 covering agribusiness fundamentals, financial literacy, access to finance and investment readiness, the sessions are recorded, and every applicant receives feedback.
Important disclaimer
Nextali researches and curates useful opportunities to make discovery easier. Before applying, verify every timeline, requirement, fee and application link on the official provider website. Do your own research into the organisation, its background and the authenticity of the offer. Nextali does not guarantee selection, funding or the conduct of third party providers.
