SMEDAN Rewards Young Talent with N5mn for Entrepreneurial Intelligence

By Oluwakemi Kindness

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), has awarded a total of N5 million to three outstanding young Nigerian innovators at the SMEDAN Talent Hunt.

This was in partnership with Microvis Microfinance Bank and Baobab Microfinance Bank which also gave other contestants consolation prize money.

The competition, which focused on groundbreaking solutions to reduce post-harvest losses in Nigeria’s agricultural sector, saw brilliant young minds from across the country pitch their inventive ideas to a panel of industry experts and stakeholders.

A statement on Thursday by the Head, Corporate Affairs SMEDAN, Moshood Lawal, the overall winner, a young entrepreneur whose innovation promises significant impact on food preservation and waste reduction, won a grand prize of N2 million.

The first runner-up received N1.5 million, while the second runner-up was awarded N1 million for their equally impactful inventions.

In his remark at the occasion, the Director General of SMEDAN, Charles Odii, highlighted the Agency’s dedication to creating platforms that harness the creative energies of Nigerian youth.

“Nigeria’s future lies in the hands of our innovative youth. With the right support, their ideas can solve national problems and create jobs,” he said”.

He further reiterates the commitment of the Agency to supporting the mandate of Bola Tinubu in providing food security for Nigerians through the GROW strategy being implemented by SMEDAN.

The SMEDAN Talent Hunt continues to be a beacon of opportunity for young Nigerians, providing not just funding, but also national recognition and access to support systems that can turn their ideas into thriving enterprises.

The Agency had in previous years implemented the SMEDAN Talent Hunt focused on Fashion, Poetry, Film production, tech solutions, ICT etc.

Key stakeholders present at the event included representatives from the Federal Institute for Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) and the National Agency for Science Engineering and Infrastructure (NASENI), who commended the young participants for their ingenuity and reaffirmed their agencies’ commitment to supporting homegrown innovations.

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