Lagos Unveils ₦150 Million Agrithon to Boost Food Security and Youth Innovation

In a strategic move to address Lagos State’s food security challenges and harness the creative potential of its youth, the Lagos State Government has launched Lagos Agrithon 2025, pledging ₦150 million to support at least 35 agrifood startups across the state.

The announcement was made during a press briefing by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, who described the initiative as more than a competition, calling it a movement to transform Lagos’s food systems through youth-led innovation. The Lagos Agrithon, an agricultural hackathon, seeks to discover bold and practical solutions to the city’s growing food demands.

She noted that Lagos consumes over 70 percent more food than it produces, with its population expected to surpass 30 million by 2035. This rising demand, she explained, places serious strain on food supply chains, affordability, and sustainability. “The future of food in Lagos is not just about agriculture; it is an economic, environmental, and social imperative,” she said.

Despite the state’s limited arable land and intense urbanisation, the Commissioner stressed that there are vast, untapped agricultural opportunities. These include urban and vertical farming methods like hydroponics and aquaponics, aquaculture along Lagos’s waterways, improved agro-processing, better food supply logistics, and the modernisation of local food markets.

The 2025 edition of the Agrithon significantly expands on last year’s success, where 26 youth-led startups received ₦100 million in funding. This year, the government is not only increasing the grant pool but also prioritising innovation in areas such as climate-smart farming, agri-fintech, digital tools, food traceability, logistics, market access, and post-harvest storage solutions.

The Commissioner underscored the vital role of **public-private partnerships (PPPs)** in scaling up food production through large mechanised farming projects, processing hubs, and technology adoption. She added that applicants’ ideas will be assessed based on their innovation, feasibility, market relevance, sustainability, team strength, and potential impact.

The programme is open to youth between 18 and 40 years old, whose startups are no more than five years old and who either operate in Lagos or have a demonstrable impact within the state. Applicants must be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and enrolled with the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASSRA).

Participants are required to submit an online application along with a detailed pitch deck outlining the problem their business solves, the proposed solution, and its impact. The Agrithon will include both virtual and in-person pitch sessions, access to a mentorship hub, and culminate in the Lagos Agrinnovation Summit 2.0, where winners will be announced and connected with investors, policymakers, and industry stakeholders.

Calling on innovators, investors, educators, development partners, and the media, the Commissioner described the Agrithon as a shared mission to build a resilient and inclusive food system. She urged stakeholders to support the programme, declaring: “Lagos Agrithon 2025 is not just a programme. It is an investment in the minds and hands that will feed our future.”