Flour Mills of Nigeria has given a N10 million cash reward to the winner at its just concluded Prize for Innovation event.
The fifth edition of the programme which ended last Friday, May 15, saw Victoria Ogwanighie, founder of Kiyoko Foods Ltd become the first female to claim the top position in the competition’s history.
She earned the feat by beating four other finalists who were themselves drawn from a pool of over 2,700 entries submitted for the season. The grand finale was broadcast live on FMN TV.
Speaking at the ceremony, FMN’s Chairman, John G. Coumantaros said, “The FMN Prize for Innovation reflects the core of our commitment to fostering sustainable solutions within Nigeria’s food and agro-allied sector. We are proud to support entrepreneurs whose innovations have the potential to transform the cassava value chain and create lasting economic impact.”
Ogwanighie’s winning entry centred on a product she calls Sorghum Cheese Balls, a cassava-based snack designed to deliver nutrition to children while at the same time addressing the chronic problem of post-harvest losses that bleeds billions from Nigeria’s farming economy every year.
The product sits squarely within this edition’s theme of “Innovative Practices in Cassava Production and Processing,” a focus FMN chose in response to the paradox of Nigeria being the world’s largest cassava producer while still importing significant volumes of cassava-derived industrial products.
Beyond the history made by the winner, the event carried another notable development.
FMN Chairman, who served as the season’s special guest of honour, announced on the night that he was doubling the grand prize from its original value. What was once N5 million became N10 million. The first runner-up prize moved from N3 million to N6 million, and the second runner-up reward went from N2 million to N4 million. The two remaining finalists each received N1 million.
In addition to the N10 million prize, Ogwanighie’s Kiyoko Foods Ltd will receive brand promotion from FMN and mentorship support to help the business grow. The winner herself was clear about what she intends to do with the resources. “Our goal is to create affordable and nutritious food products from cassava while empowering local farmers and reducing food waste. This support from FMN will help us scale production and reach more communities,” she said.
Finishing as first runner-up was Joshua Attat of Pneedles Limited, who took home N6 million. His company transforms cassava peels, a material that would otherwise go to waste, into plant-based leather, positioning the venture at the crossroads of environmental responsibility and commercial opportunity. Coming in second runner-up was Valentine Okoli of Bach and Moen Ltd, who received N4 million. His processing hubs allow smallholder farmers to convert fresh cassava into instant Abacha and other cassava-based snacks within hours of harvest, dramatically extending shelf life and expanding market access for farmers who would otherwise face spoilage losses.
The remaining two finalists were Sadiq Muhammad of Amsadaf Ventures, whose entry focused on mechanised farming solutions, and Rashidat Ayoola Oluwafemi of Farmavi Agro, who developed a cassava-based bio-fertilizer. Both received N1 million each.
Since its launch in 2021, the FMN Prize for Innovation has supported 24 innovators across four previous editions, disbursing more than N42 million in prize funding and committing over N200 million in structured support to help winning ideas grow into viable businesses.
