The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), through its Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) initiative, has opened applications for the 2026 edition of the CANEX WKND Junior Chef Competition, aimed at discovering and promoting young culinary talents in Nigeria.

The competition is open to aspiring chefs aged between 16 and 21 and will culminate during the CANEX WKND 2026 event scheduled to hold in Lagos from November 5 to 8.

Applications opened on June 5 and will close on June 26, 2026.

According to Afreximbank, the competition is designed to give young Nigerians an opportunity to showcase their creativity, technical skills and ability to tell African stories through food.

The programme, now in its second edition, follows its debut in Algiers, Algeria, during the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2025, where Fatma Zohra Bendjelida emerged as the inaugural winner.

This year, eight outstanding young chefs will be selected to compete live in Lagos, presenting dishes inspired by Africa’s rich culinary heritage while demonstrating innovation and modern culinary techniques.

Shortlisted candidates will first participate in semi-final live cooking sessions before an independent panel of culinary experts drawn from Africa and the Caribbean. Contestants will be assessed on creativity, technical ability, presentation, effective use of local ingredients and their capacity to communicate cultural stories through food.

Speaking on the launch of the competition, Afreximbank’s Director of Intra-African Trade and Export Development (Creatives and Diaspora), Temwa Gondwe, said the initiative reflects the bank’s commitment to supporting Africa’s creative economy.

She noted that African gastronomy remains one of the continent’s most valuable but underexplored assets, with significant potential to boost tourism, create jobs, strengthen local food supply chains and expand markets for African cuisine.

According to her, the competition is part of CANEX’s wider goal of positioning gastronomy as a key pillar of Africa’s creative economy while helping young talents transform their culinary skills into sustainable business opportunities.

Selected participants will benefit from mentorship, industry exposure and networking opportunities with leading chefs and stakeholders in the food sector. The top three winners will receive cash prizes, certificates and trophies.

The competition is open to Nigerian citizens aged 16 to 21 who live or work anywhere in the country and are willing to travel to Lagos for the event. It is open to culinary students, aspiring chefs and self-taught food creators. Applications are to be submitted through the official CANEX platform.