Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc has announced the opening of entries for the fifth edition of its annual Prize for Innovation, with this year’s focus placed squarely on cassava production and processing.
The 2026 edition, themed “Innovative Practices in Cassava Production and Processing,” is aimed at encouraging practical solutions that can strengthen Nigeria’s cassava value chain and reduce reliance on imported derivatives.
Nigeria remains the world’s largest producer of cassava. However, the country continues to import significant quantities of cassava-based industrial inputs, highlighting gaps in local processing capacity and value addition.
The Prize for Innovation is open to registered Nigerian small and medium-scale enterprises in the food and agro-allied sector, as well as student innovators. Under the SME category, winners will receive ₦5 million for first place, ₦3 million for second place and ₦2 million for third place. In the student category, prizes of ₦300,000, ₦200,000 and ₦100,000 will be awarded to the top three entrants.
Beyond financial awards, selected participants will receive mentorship and access to industry networks intended to support the commercial viability of their ideas.
Speaking on the initiative, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Flour Mills of Nigeria, Boye Olusanya, described the fifth edition as strategically aligned with Nigeria’s industrial development priorities.
He noted that the company’s focus on cassava reflects its potential to support industrial self-sufficiency within the food and agro-allied sector, particularly at a time when local production capacity is under renewed scrutiny.
According to Olusanya, the innovation prize has, over the past five years, supported the development of solutions within Nigeria’s food system and contributed to efforts aimed at reducing dependence on imported raw materials.
Since its launch in 2021, the initiative has supported 24 innovators across four editions, disbursing more than ₦42 million in direct funding. The company also reports that additional structured support valued at over ₦200 million has been provided to help past winners scale their solutions.
Earlier editions addressed themes including food loss and waste reduction, local content development, precision agriculture and livestock farming.
Sadiq Usman, Managing Director of FMN Agro and Group Director of Strategic Stakeholder Relations, said the programme is designed to move ideas beyond the conceptual stage by combining funding with industry guidance and mentorship.
Entries for the fifth edition are open until March 16, 2026. Applications are to be submitted through the initiative’s official website.
Founded in 1960, Flour Mills of Nigeria operates across several value chains, including grains, sugar, cassava starch, feeds and protein, and edible oils and fats. The company has maintained a significant presence in Nigeria’s food production sector for more than six decades.
The renewed focus on cassava industrialisation aligns with broader national conversations around food security, import substitution and agricultural value chain development.
