The Youth in Work (YiW) Project, implemented by Self Help Africa with support from the World Food Programme in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, aims to strengthen livelihoods, create employment opportunities, and enhance the resilience of young women and men in Kano State.
The Innovative Challenge is a strategic initiative to identify, nurture, and support exceptional young innovators (aged 18–35) who are developing practical, creative solutions to address challenges in the agricultural value chains of millet, groundnut, soybean, sorghum, and horticulture.
This challenge seeks to promote youth-led and women-led innovations that enhance productivity, processing, value addition, storage, and market linkages. Selected innovators will receive recognition, technical mentorship, business development support (up to 1–2 million Naira), and potential seed funding or market linkages.
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When is the Application Deadline:
Not specified
Which Fields are Eligible?
Innovations in:
- Productivity improvement
- Processing and value addition
- Storage solutions
- Market linkages within agriculture
Type:
Innovation Challenge | Entrepreneurship Support
Who can Apply?
Applicants must:
- Be residents of Sokoto State
- Be young innovators aged 18–35 years
- Have practical, creative, and scalable solutions in eligible agricultural value chains
How are Applicants Selected?
Based on innovation quality, scalability, sustainability, and potential to improve agricultural value chains.
Which Countries Are Eligible?
Nigeria (Sokoto State residents only)
Where will the Program be Taken?
Sokoto State, Nigeria
How Many Awards?
Not specified
What is the Benefit of the Program?
- ₦1–2 Million grant support
- Technical mentorship from experts
- Business development support
- Recognition and visibility for innovations
- Opportunities for seed funding and market linkages
How Long Will the Program Last?
Not specified
How to Apply:
Interested applicants should complete and submit the online Expression of Interest form.