The British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATN Foundation) has awarded ₦25.5 million in grants to 17 graduate agripreneurs under its 2026 Graduate Agripreneur Programme (GAP).
The beneficiaries, who each received an equity-free grant of ₦1.5 million, were selected following competitive business pitch sessions held at the University of Ilorin, the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.
The programme is designed to support young Nigerian graduates with innovative agricultural business ideas by providing funding, mentorship and technical assistance to help them establish sustainable agribusiness ventures.
According to the foundation, the selected participants presented business proposals covering different areas of agriculture, including precision crop cultivation, poultry and livestock production, agro-processing, agricultural technology and commercial beekeeping.
A panel of agricultural experts and business development consultants assessed the proposals based on originality, financial viability, scalability, sustainability and market potential before selecting the successful candidates.
The General Manager of BATN Foundation, Oludare Odusanya, said young people remained important to the future of agriculture in Nigeria, adding that the programme provides opportunities for innovation, enterprise development and sustainable agricultural solutions.
The foundation explained that the initiative goes beyond financial assistance by providing beneficiaries with mentorship, technical support and other resources needed to develop viable agricultural businesses.
Since its establishment, the Graduate Agripreneur Programme has supported more than 60 graduate agripreneurs, with over ₦90 million disbursed to encourage young Nigerians to explore agriculture as a business opportunity.
The initiative forms part of the foundation’s Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Programme, which seeks to reduce unemployment, promote agricultural development and encourage young people to contribute to Nigeria’s food security.
About the Programme
The Graduate Agripreneur Programme is implemented in partnership with selected Nigerian universities, including FUNAAB, the University of Ilorin, the University of Ibadan and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.
More information about the programme is available on the BATN Foundation official website.
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