The National Youth Service Corps and the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation have renewed their longstanding partnership to empower young Nigerians through agribusiness development following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in Abuja.
The agreement marks a renewal of a programme first established in 2019 under BATNF’s flagship Farmers for the Future project, an initiative designed to equip young Nigerian graduates with resources, skills, and mentorship to build sustainable agribusiness enterprises.
The renewed MoU will run for another three year cycle and reinforces the commitment of both institutions to sustaining youth focused agricultural entrepreneurship across Nigeria while advancing economic inclusion.
Speaking on the renewed partnership, Oludare Odusanya, general manager of BATNF, emphasised the importance of continuity, saying the MoU is a reaffirmation of a collaboration that began in 2019 and has continued to show how strategic partnerships can unlock youth potential in agriculture.
He explained that through the F4F project, the foundation is not only providing grants but also building a system of mentorship, structure, and support that enables corps members to see agribusiness as a serious enterprise pathway.
Since its inception, the partnership has leveraged NYSC’s national platform to introduce corps members to agribusiness as a viable option for enterprise development, job creation, and food security.
The 2026 MoU therefore represents not just the launch of another phase, but a strengthening and continuation of an impact driven collaboration that has already demonstrated measurable value for young Nigerians.
The initiative equips participating corps members with funding, mentorship, and structured support to help translate viable agribusiness ideas into sustainable ventures beyond the service year.
Beyond grant funding, the programme also serves as a national awareness platform, using NYSC’s reach to reposition agriculture in the minds of young graduates as a modern and scalable business opportunity capable of driving economic resilience and food security.
Under the renewed agreement, BATNF will commit up to N10 million in grant funding to support six NYSC corps members with viable agribusiness concepts through a competitive selection process.
The support will be structured as a blend of cash and non cash inputs to ensure effective execution of projects and long term sustainability.
The prize structure provides N3 million for the first place winner, N2 million each for two second place winners, and N1 million each for three third place winners.
Selected beneficiaries will participate in a structured development programme that includes an intensive boot camp, mentorship sessions with agribusiness experts, and ongoing project evaluation.
To ensure transparency and measurable impact, grant disbursement and oversight will be managed through an independent implementing partner.
The MoU was signed by Odusanya and Adetola Oniyelu, project manager of BATNF, on behalf of the foundation, while representing NYSC were Kehinde Aremu Cole, director of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Department, and Christopher Ogar of the NYSC Legal Unit.
As part of the renewed collaboration, NYSC will continue to deploy its national platforms, including orientation camps and digital communication channels, to drive awareness and participation among corps members.
The scheme will also formally endorse the F4F project, collaborate on programme monitoring and evaluation, and participate in key milestones such as the programme launch and closing ceremonies.
