Nigerian Innovations Shine at 2025 Zayed Sustainability Prize
Two Nigerian enterprises, NaFarm Foods and D-Olivette Global Enterprise, have earned international recognition at the prestigious Zayed Sustainability Prize, a hallmark event celebrating innovative solutions to global challenges. The awards ceremony was held during the 2025 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) under the patronage of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Zayed Sustainability Prize: A Global Legacy
Founded to honor the legacy of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Zayed Sustainability Prize spotlights advancements in six categories: health, food, energy, water, climate action, and global high schools. This year, $5.9 million was distributed among eleven winners, whose transformative solutions have positively impacted over 407 million lives since the prize’s inception in 2009.
Among the honorees was NaFarm Foods, a Kaduna-based organization that triumphed in the Food category. The company’s hybrid solar-powered dryers, designed to reduce post-harvest losses, are providing cost-effective solutions to preserve crops and ensure food security in agriculture-dependent communities.
Co-founder Abdullateef Olaosebikan, while addressing attendees, emphasized the critical role of technology in addressing Nigeria’s agricultural challenges.
“The ecosystem in Nigeria is causing many businesses to shutter, especially in the agricultural space. We need more individuals using technology to enhance food production, processing, and storage. With this recognition, we aim to expand our impact to sixteen additional states across the country,” he stated.
Another Nigerian innovation, D-Olivette Global Enterprise, emerged as a finalist in the Energy category. The firm was acknowledged for its AI- and IoT-enabled biodigesters that transform organic waste into renewable energy and agricultural products. These systems, tailored for households and farms, empower users to produce clean cooking fuel, electricity, livestock feed, and organic fertilizers.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, who attended the event, lauded the two SMEs for their groundbreaking solutions. In a Facebook post, he wrote:
“I congratulate NaFarm Foods for their hybrid solar food dryers and D-Olivette Global Enterprise for their innovative waste management solutions. These achievements highlight Nigeria’s potential to lead in sustainability and innovation.”
During his speech, President Tinubu stressed the importance of global collaboration in combating climate change, stating, “For Africa to thrive, it must innovate and partner with the global community to build a sustainable green economy.”
This year’s awards also celebrated other African innovators, including Ghana’s Sakafia Islamic Senior High School, which won the Global High Schools award for its aquaponics farming project, and Tanzania’s Open Map Development Tanzania (OMDTZ), which secured the Climate Action award for leveraging drones and GIS technology to create flood risk maps.
Other winners included Periwinkle Technologies (India) for health, SkyJuice Foundation (Australia) for water solutions, and Palki Motors (Bangladesh) for energy innovations. Schools from Mexico, Nepal, and New Zealand were also honored in the Global High Schools category.
In his closing remarks, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan commended the winners:
“By nurturing these efforts, we are not only creating a more sustainable future for all but also honoring the enduring vision of Sheikh Zayed, whose commitment to progress and humanitarianism inspires us.”
Running from January 12 to 18, the 2025 ADSW has attracted over 3,500 delegates, including policymakers and sustainability leaders from 150 countries. Themed “The Nexus of Next: Supercharging Sustainable Progress”, the event underscores the urgent need to accelerate sustainable development while showcasing Africa’s capacity for innovation and local solutions to global challenges.
