Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc has crowned a female entrepreneur as the overall winner of the fifth edition of its FMN Prize for Innovation, marking a historic milestone in the competition’s five-year run and reinforcing efforts to deepen value addition in Nigeria’s cassava sector.
The winner, Victoria Ogwanighie, founder of Kiyoko Foods Limited, emerged top among five finalists selected from more than 2,700 applications nationwide. Her innovation focuses on transforming cassava into nutrient-rich cheese balls designed to improve child nutrition, reduce post-harvest losses, and promote sustainable food systems.
Brandspur Brand News reports that the grand finale, held on May 15, 2026, also featured an upward review of the competition’s prize structure. The winning prize was doubled to ₦10 million, while the first and second runners-up received ₦6 million and ₦4 million respectively, reflecting FMN’s growing investment in agribusiness innovation.
Speaking at the event, FMN Chairman John Coumantaros said the Prize for Innovation aligns with the company’s long-term strategy to support scalable solutions across Nigeria’s food and agro-allied value chains. He noted that empowering innovators working on cassava transformation would deliver economic impact while strengthening food security.
Ogwanighie said the recognition and financial support would accelerate the expansion of Kiyoko Foods, enabling wider distribution of affordable and nutritious cassava-based products while creating opportunities for local farmers and reducing food waste.
Joshua Attat, founder of Pneedles Limited, emerged as first runner-up for his innovation that converts cassava peels into plant-based leather, offering an eco-friendly alternative to conventional materials and supporting circular economy practices. He received ₦6 million.
The second runner-up, Valentine Okoli of Bach and Moen Limited, won ₦4 million for establishing cassava processing hubs that enable rapid conversion of fresh cassava into instant Abacha and shelf-stable snacks, helping farmers minimise spoilage and access higher-value markets.
Other finalists, including Sadiq Muhammad of Amsadaf Ventures and Rashidat Ayoola Oluwafemi of Farmavi Agro, each received ₦1 million for innovations in mechanised farming solutions and cassava-based bio-fertiliser production.
The FMN Prize for Innovation continues to position cassava as a strategic crop for industrial development, entrepreneurship, and food security, highlighting the growing role of innovation-led agribusiness in Nigeria’s economic transformation.
