Leventis Foundation awards N2m grant, training to youth agripreneurs
The Executive Director of Leventis Foundation Nigeria, Hope Usieta, has announced that young Nigerian agripreneurs will have the opportunity to access up to ₦2 million in grants, as well as specialized training and mentorship, at the forthcoming 2025 Agricultural Youth Summit scheduled for November 6 in Abuja.
Usieta disclosed this on Tuesday during a pre-summit press briefing jointly organized by the Leventis Foundation Nigeria and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
He said the initiative is part of efforts to empower youth-led agribusinesses with the skills, knowledge, and funding needed to thrive in an evolving agricultural landscape.
According to him, the summit, themed “Building Youth and Agripreneurs’ Resilience for Agribusiness through Targeted Upskilling and Innovative Agri-Finance,” was deliberately designed to address the challenges confronting young farmers and agribusiness owners in accessing finance and sustaining profitable ventures.
“The summit and its theme underscore our collective resolve to strengthen youth participation, innovation, and resilience in the country’s agricultural sector,” he said.
The event, which will take place at Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja, will bring together young agripreneurs, policymakers, financiers, and development partners from across the country.
Usieta noted that Nigeria’s young people remain the country’s most important resource for building a sustainable agricultural future amid global economic and climate pressures.
“At Leventis Foundation Nigeria, we have remained steadfast in our mission to train, empower, and mentor young Nigerians to become agripreneurs who can create jobs, boost productivity, and contribute to national food security. The Agricultural Youth Summit builds on that commitment by providing a dynamic platform for learning, collaboration, and enterprise development.
“Through this summit, we aim to equip participants with practical skills, business insights, and access to innovative agri-finance tools that can help them start or scale their agribusinesses.
“I am pleased to announce that, in partnership with the NYSC, we will be awarding up to ₦2 million in grants to outstanding young agribusiness owners who present viable ideas and pitches during the summit. This initiative is not merely symbolic, but it is a deliberate investment in youth-led agricultural innovation and entrepreneurship.” He said
Usieta added that the summit would feature expert-led workshops, panel sessions, and exhibitions designed to be hands-on and solution-oriented.
“The one-day event will equip participants with practical skills, business insights, and access to innovative agri-finance tools that can help them start or scale their agribusinesses.
“This initiative is not merely symbolic, but a deliberate investment in youth-led agricultural innovation and entrepreneurship.”
He listed major workshop topics to include micro and backyard gardening, digital tools for agribusiness, branding and packaging, and writing business plans and pitches.
There will also be discussions on accessible agri-finance for small and medium enterprises and a special panel on “Mainstreaming Agricultural Insurance in Agribusiness.”
Beyond the summit itself, Usieta called for collaboration, noting that no single organization can achieve such an elaborate vision alone.
“The scale of transformation we seek requires partnerships, collaboration across public and private sectors, donor agencies, agribusiness investors, and development institutions to expand the reach and impact of this initiative.
“We invite all stakeholders with shared passion for youth development and agricultural innovation to partner with us in areas such as capacity building, expanding access to agritech solutions, finance, and market opportunities.” He said
Usieta however, reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to promoting youth-led agricultural transformation through skills development and innovation.
He urged all partners, investors, and the media to amplify the message that agriculture remains a viable pathway to wealth creation, national growth, and global relevance.
Also speaking, the NYSC Director of Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Department (SAED), Kehinde Aremu, lauded the partnership, describing it as a crucial step toward deepening youth participation in agriculture.
“I’m happy that the youths have come to appreciate the place of agribusiness, not as an option, but indeed as a viable career in their lives,” he said.
Aremu highlighted the challenge of inadequate access to finance as one of the major barriers preventing corps members and young people from establishing farms after training.
“We know that conventional financing methods in this country cannot sustain agricultural practice. That’s why we are excited that one of the challenges we’ve had — innovative financing for agricultural businesses — is going to be deeply discussed.”
He expressed optimism that the summit would produce practical and youth-friendly funding models to help young agripreneurs scale their ventures.
“We expect that at the end of this program, we will be able to come out with financing methods, innovative financing methods, like we call it — how to get more money into the hands of corps members or young people in such a way that it will not be a burden on them,” Aremu added.
The NYSC director also called on stakeholders and the media to rally support for the program.
“Let’s show our support for this initiative. Let’s get the world to know that we are interested in getting improved agricultural production in Nigeria, which for us translates to the real security that we so much crave in our country,” he said.
