FMN Prize for Innovation Produces First Female Winner

* Drives cassava innovation through SME support

Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc (FMN), a leading diversified pan-African food and agro-allied group, and the convener of the renowned FMN Prize for Innovation (PFI) initiative, has successfully concluded the 5th season of the FMN PFI. 

For the first time in five years, a female emerged winner of the FMN prize money out of over 2,700 entries garnered for the 5th season of FMN PFI. The live event of the grand finale was aired on FMN TV, GoldMyne TV and Pulse TV YouTube channels in a live broadcast on Friday, May 15, 2026.

The finale of the 5th season of the FMN PFI, with the theme, ‘Innovative Practices in Cassava Production and Processing’, was marked by a significant increase in the prize money and financial support for SMEs.

The Chairman of FMN, Mr. John G. Coumantaros, and the season’s special guest of honour, doubled the prize money for the top three finalists. 

Coumantaros increased the nitial prize of N5 million to N10 million, N3 million to N6 million and N2 million to N4 million for the winner, first and second runners-up respectively. 

The chairman also rewarded the last two finalists with the sum of N1 million each to further encourage industrial solutions within the cassava value chain.

Following the highly competitive pitches from the top five finalists for the season, Kiyoko Foods Ltd founded by Victoria Ogwanighie emerged as the winner of the fifth edition of the FMN Prize for Innovation (PFI 5.0). 

Kiyoko Foods innovatively turns cassava into nutrient-rich cheese balls called Sorghud Cheese Balls. Sorghud Cheese Balls is a locally-produced snack made from cassava, designed to improve child nutrition while reducing post-harvest losses. 

By transforming surplus cassava into affordable, high-quality cheese balls, the project creates value for farmers and supports sustainable food systems.

Closely ranking the first runner up in the competition is Pneedles Limited owned by Joshua Attat. 

PNeedle converts cassava peels — an abundant agricultural waste — into sustainable, plant-based leather. 

By transforming waste into a valuable material, it reduces environmental pollution, supports circular economic practices, and provides an eco-friendly alternative to conventional leather. 

Bach and Moen Ltd by Valentine Okoli was the second runner-up, a position he clinched through his innovative project of cassava processing hub that enables smallholder farmers to quickly transform fresh cassava to stored longer shelf life and into high-value food products. 

By combining efficient processing technologies with product innovation, Bach and Moen converts cassava into modern convenience foods such as instant Abacha and nutritious cassava-based snacks. The model allows farmers to process their harvest within hours, preventing spoilage while expanding market opportunities.

Kiyoko Foods Ltd, founded by Victoria Ogwanighie, received N10 million as her prize money and other progressive benefits like promotion of brand by FMN, mentorship in the form of advisory to support business growth and scale up. 

Pneedles Limited by Joshua Attat was rewarded with the sum of N6 million for his innovation in converting cassava peels into sustainable, plant-based leather. 

The second runner-up, Valentine Okoli of Bach and Moen Ltd, was awarded N4 million for developing processing hubs that produce instant Abacha and cassava-based snacks to extend the shelf life of the crop. 

Among the high-ranking participants, who qualified for the final stage alongside the winners, were Amsadaf Ventures by Mr. Sadiq Muhammad who proposed mechanized machine fabrications for smallholder farmers, and Farmavi Agro by Rashidat Ayoola Oluwafemi who developed a liquid bio-fertilizer from toxic cassava effluent. These two finalists were also rewarded with N1 million each as part of the chairman’s special guest reward package.

In his comment as the special guest of honour, the Chairman, FMN, Coumantaros, said: “The FMN Prize for Innovation reflects the core of our business which is the unwavering drive to build sustainable food systems in Nigeria and progressively in Africa. These SMEs were highly impressive and their products are greatly innovative, you would clearly see the passion and commitment to their business and craft. 

“I am impressed and will continue to support Nigerian SMEs as they are FMN’s partners in food self-sufficiency drive. Also, the caliber of the winning participants this year; Victoria, Joshua, and Valentine, demonstrates that Nigerian entrepreneurs are ready to

move beyond conceptual ideas towards commercial viability. 

“These innovators are not just winning a prize but are providing real-world solutions like sustainable leather from waste and shelf-stable food products. Our goal is to ensure that through this increased funding and corporate mentorship, these businesses are fully integrated into the wider industrial ecosystem to drive long-term economic growth.”

Reflecting on the success of this year’s edition and the growth of the initiative over the years, MD, FMN Agro & Director, Strategic Engagement Partnership, FMN Holdings Ltd, Mr. Sadiq Usman, remarked: “The completion of this fifth edition represents a significant milestone in our five-year journey of strategic investment in local content. With over 2,700 entries this year from both SME and students’ categories, the scale of participation confirms that the PFI has become a vital platform for addressing Nigeria’s industrial gaps. 

“By focusing on cassava, we are addressing a specific structural gap where Nigeria remains a major importer of industrial derivatives despite high local production volumes. The innovations presented this year demonstrate a clear pathway for translating raw agricultural output into high-value industrial materials and food products that strengthen our national food system. 

“We have seen past winners scale their operations significantly, and the fifth season further expands the pipeline of cassava-focused innovations that are relevant to Nigeria’s industrial needs.”

The grand finale selection process was overseen by a panel of experts, including new judges, Yewande Kazeem, a marketing specialist and founder of Wandieville, and garmer Kolawole Adeniji, Chairman of Agro Services Ltd. 

They served alongside returning judges, including the MD, FMN Agro & Director, Strategic Engagement & Partnership, FMN Holdings Ltd, Usman, and Adenike Adeyemi, Trustee at Youth Business International. These additions were intended to provide deeper market and technical insights into the scalability of the proposed solutions.

Speaking on her pioneering winning as the first female winner of the FMN PFI, Victoria Ogwanighie, founder of Kiyoko Foods Ltd, said: “I am exceedingly grateful for this experience and support. I am still very much overwhelmed with the reality of being the first female winner since the inception of the

initiative. I applied for the 5th season of the FMN Prize for Innovation on the day it was meant to close, so you can imagine my happiness when I was called for the second level screening and further selected as a finalist. I know that we have a great product in our Sorghud Cheese Balls and I firmly commit that without an iota of doubt, we will use the prize money effectively and efficiently to scale our business and continue to be of great value for nation and the global community.”

Through the conclusion of the 5th season of the PFI 5.0, the brand continues to drive agri-enterprise growth, local innovation capacity, and the development of sustainable agricultural value chains in Nigeria. 

The group remains committed to providing the institutional knowledge and resources necessary for local innovators to succeed at that scale while building sustainable food systems.