The Greenlabs Incubation Programme on Friday unveiled breakthrough solutions at its Cohort 2 “Powering Food Systems” Demo Day, marking a major step in advancing youth-driven innovation in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
The initiative, powered by the Consumer Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation (CADEF) in partnership with Jacobs Ladder Africa (JLA), is positioning young innovators at the forefront of efforts to rebuild fragile food value chains, reduce post-harvest losses and deploy renewable energy across Nigeria’s agricultural systems.
Launched on January 22, 2026, the Greenlabs Powering Food Systems Innovation Challenge attracted applications from across the country. After an intensive mentor-guided innovation sprint and a multi-stage screening process, 16 innovators showcased their solutions at the Demo Day. Geocycle, Leovia Farms, Ecobag Mart, Agricool Logistics and Dry Heat Solutions emerged as the five finalists.
In a decisive outcome reflecting the programme’s focus on scalability and real-world impact, Geocycle, Ecobag Mart and Leovia Farms secured top honours and pre-seed funding. The funding will support prototype development, business registration, market validation and early market entry.
All finalists will now proceed into a structured nine-month incubation programme designed to transform early-stage ideas into sustainable green enterprises through expert mentorship, enterprise training and access to critical growth resources.
Delivering the keynote on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, Mr. Emmanuel Audu Fatai said innovation is no longer optional but central to Africa’s food future.
“Today’s innovators are rewriting tomorrow’s food economy. This initiative moves beyond sustainability rhetoric to equipping young Africans with the tools to build it,” he said.
He pointed to Africa’s long-standing contradiction of vast agricultural potential existing alongside food shortages, climate stress and weak value chains. He stressed that modern food security now lies at the intersection of energy, technology, finance, climate policy and innovation.
Government backing for sustainable agriculture was further reinforced by Lagos State’s ongoing initiatives, including the Lagos Agrithon, Agri-Innovation Summit, Food for Lagos Programme, Agri-Premiership Programme and the Lagos Agricultural Scholars Programme, all aimed at boosting production, youth participation and climate-smart farming.
Environmental authorities also signalled support for circular-economy approaches such as waste-to-energy solutions, indicating growing institutional alignment around green transformation.
Executive Director of CADEF, Prof. Chiso Ndukwe-Okafor, described the Demo Day as a bridge between invention and enterprise.
“This is where ideas become businesses. Beyond pitching, we are building founders who can create jobs, scale responsibly and sustain impact,” she said, adding that the incubation framework embeds financial discipline, integrity, business lifecycle knowledge and entrepreneurial mindset development.
Chief Innovation Officer at Jacobs Ladder Africa, Karen Chelang’at, said the challenge pushed innovators to tackle practical food-system failures with renewable-energy solutions capable of reducing losses, improving yields and strengthening value chains in areas such as poultry and aquaculture.
“Funding is only the beginning. The real success will be market-ready businesses that create jobs and deliver measurable community impact,” she said.
Organisers maintained that government action alone cannot solve Nigeria’s food and climate challenges, stressing that cross-sector partnerships and youth-led enterprise will be critical in building resilient and sustainable food systems.
