BATN Foundation has reaffirmed its commitment toward youth empowerment and agricultural sustainability with the successful rollout of its 2025 Graduate Agripreneur Program (GAP) at the University of Ibadan, aimed at nurturing young talents in agribusiness and encouraging agriculture as a viable source of income, job creation, and sustainable development.
Following a Call for Applications earlier in February 2025, dozens of aspiring agripreneurs across University of Ibadan postgraduates and alumni groups submitted proposals to participate in the highly anticipated program and after a rigorous review process 11 finalists were shortlisted.
The high-impact event, tagged the Graduate Agripreneur Program Evaluation Pitch and Grant Award, held at the First Bank Hall, witnessed an exciting showcase of innovation, passion, and enterprise as 11 shortlisted graduate entrepreneurs pitched their agribusiness ideas before a panel of expert judges.
At the end of the intensive pitching session, six standout agripreneurs emerged winners, each receiving a cash grant of N1,500,000, land resources, mentorship from seasoned industry experts, and a suite of business development support.
The selected winners are Samuel Afolabi, Akintayo Akintunde, Ojo Florence, Kehinde Amuo, Khadeejah Owolabi and Eyitayo Ojo.
Their groundbreaking proposals spanned diverse value chains in agriculture, including fish farming, honey production, tree planting and vegetable seedling cultivation, pepper and tomato farming, and meat rearing; all chosen for their originality, scalability, unique value propositions, and risk mitigation strategies.
Speaking at the event, the General Manager of the Foundation Mr Dare Odusanya reaffirmed the organization’s belief in the potential of young minds to reshape the future of agriculture.
“The Graduate Agripreneur Program is not just about funding, it’s about building a generation of agri-leaders who will champion sustainability, food security, and rural development,” he said.
The Foundation remains dedicated to bridging the gap between academic training and practical entrepreneurship, inspiring a movement that will see agriculture not just as a subject of study, but as a lifestyle, a business, and a national development imperative.
In his remarks, Professor Omitoyin from University of Ibadan emphasized the importance of the programme, saying, “We are immensely proud of the accomplishments of our graduates in the BATN Foundation Graduate Agripreneur Programme.
This initiative resonated with our university’s mission to develop graduates who are not only academically proficient but also possess the practical skills necessary for driving economic growth. We commend the winners and eagerly anticipate their positive contributions to the agricultural sector.”
The award ceremony showcased the presence of distinguished stakeholders from both the University of Ibadan and the BATN Foundation.
In attendance were key academic stakeholders, including the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, the Dean of Renewable Natural Resources, other faculty members, students, and a vibrant community of supporters and future agripreneurs.
