Lagos Unveils Agrithon 3.0, Targets Youth-Led Solutions to Food Security Challenges
The Lagos State Government has unveiled the third edition of the Lagos Agrithon initiative, reaffirming its commitment to empowering young innovators and strengthening the state’s food systems through technology, entrepreneurship and sustainable solutions.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, disclosed this during a press briefing held to announce the commencement of Agrithon 3.0, which comes with a ₦200 million grant pool for successful participants.
Olusanya explained that the initiative was created to address the gap between the creativity of young Nigerians and the support structures required to turn innovative ideas into impactful businesses.
She said the establishment of the Lagos Agrinnovation Club and the Agrithon programme followed years of engagements with young people who demonstrated strong ideas in agriculture and food systems but lacked access to mentorship, funding, industry connections and market opportunities.
According to her, Lagos, being Nigeria’s innovation hub and one of Africa’s largest food markets, must deliberately create platforms that encourage innovation within the agriculture sector.
She noted that the state’s approach to agriculture has evolved beyond traditional farming, with greater focus on the entire food value chain, including processing, logistics, storage, mechanisation, food safety, biotechnology and digital solutions.
The Commissioner linked the initiative to the broader vision of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration to position agriculture as a driver of economic growth, job creation and food security.
She highlighted key interventions including the Lagos Food Systems Roadmap, the Produce for Lagos Programme, the Lagos Agrinnovation Club and Agrithon as part of efforts to build a resilient and sustainable food ecosystem.
Reflecting on the impact of previous editions, Olusanya said the programme has supported young entrepreneurs in transforming ideas into businesses, attracting investments, creating employment opportunities and contributing to the growth of the food sector.
She stressed that Agrithon is not simply a grant scheme, but a structured innovation platform designed to identify, mentor and support promising ventures through a competitive selection process involving expert reviews, pitch sessions and business assessments.
Participants in the latest edition, she added, will have access to funding, mentorship, enterprise support and opportunities to engage with investors and strategic partners.
The Commissioner invited young innovators working across food production, processing, supply chains, climate-smart agriculture, logistics, retail and digital agriculture to participate in the programme.
She also called on private sector organisations, foundations and development partners to collaborate with the state government in scaling opportunities for young entrepreneurs.
Olusanya expressed confidence that the initiative would help position Lagos as a leading hub for food systems innovation while ensuring that young people play a central role in shaping the future of agriculture.
On his part, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Emmanuel Audu, charged members of the Agrinnovation Club to inform the public that applications are now open for Agrithon 3.0 and highlight what the government intends to achieve through the initiative.
According to him, some of the winners and beneficiaries of the previous two editions of Agrithon have continued to contribute meaningfully by adding value to the agricultural value chains.
He also disclosed that Governor Sanwo-Olu is doing a lot across the agricultural value chains towards ensuring that food is available and affordable to all residents.
