BATN Foundation set to empower young agripreneurs with N27m

The British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) is set to support young university graduates with N27 million in grants alongside access to land resources.

Through its Youth Empowerment & Entrepreneurship Programme (YEEP), the organisation aims to empower young Nigerian graduates to build sustainable agribusinesses, including poultry farming, by commencing the 2025 edition of the Graduate Agripreneurship Programme (GAP).

“The 2025 edition of GAP continues BATNF’s commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in agriculture. This year, the programme is being conducted in partnership with three prestigious universities: Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, University of Ibadan, and University of Ilorin,” Oludare Odusanya, general manager of BATNF, said in a statement made available to BusinessDay.

Odusanya noted that selected participants will receive N27 million ($18,000) in grants as well as mentorship from industry experts and comprehensive capacity-building training to develop their technical and entrepreneurial skills.

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“The GAP programme is designed to address the challenges of youth unemployment, food security, and sustainable economic growth in Nigeria, equipping participants to create jobs and contribute meaningfully to the agricultural value chain,” he added.

According to him, the GAP initiative has in the past empowered over 20 agripreneurs who received N1.5 million to fund their projects.

“At BATN Foundation, we believe that agriculture is a powerful tool for economic empowerment and national development. The graduate agripreneur programme is more than just a funding initiative; it is a platform for young Nigerians to realise their potential,” Odusanya explained.

Some successful past stories like that of Mary Jimba, a graduate of FUNAAB, who has been able to grow her boiler production business into a sustainable enterprise, creating jobs and contributing to her local community, reflect the transformative impact of GAP.

“Our goal is to inspire and empower the next generation of agripreneurs who will drive growth and sustainability in this critical industry,” he said.

Odusanya, therefore, encourages interested young university graduates to seize this opportunity by submitting their applications before the deadline on March 3, 2025.