FG unveils 10 agric startups for N10m grant

THE Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, has chosen 10 startups for a N10 million grant through its Fourth Industrial Revolution Technology Application (4IRTA) in agriculture programme.

Selected projects from these startups will receive funding of up to N10 million to enhance the implementation of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies in their respective fields.

Dr Bosun Tijani, the Communications Minister, revealed the chosen projects and emphasised that the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to cultivate 500,000 hectares of land nationwide to enhance food security.

Tijani, who announced the shortlisted projects for the programme, said: “I am pleased to announce the 10 shortlisted grantees for our Fourth Industrial Revolution Technology Application (4IRTA) in Agriculture.

“In November last year, we invited applications from applicable market-ready innovations that leverage 4IR technologies (UAVs, IoT, AI, and Blockchain) to enhance productivity in Nigeria’s Agricultural Sector.

“In the two weeks of the application process, we received 2,329 applications, which then went through two rounds of reviews, supported by top 4IR Technology researchers and practitioners of Nigerian descent across the globe.”

Tijani said, “The reviews applied criteria such as the alignment of the proposed solution with the objectives of 4IRTA, solution readiness and the quality of their video demonstration.

“Congratulations to the 10 selected projects, as we look forward to working with them in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture to support their path to scale and sustainability,” he added.