MTN Backs Nigerian Youth With $3,000 in Eco-innovation Challenge

MTN is supporting Nigerian youths with $3,000 in Eco-innovation challenge as Nigeria faces mounting waste management and unemployment.
To this end, a young Nigerian eco-innovator is making headlines after securing runner-up honours in the 2024 Africa PatchiPanda Challenge, MTN’s continent-wide competition to find the most promising green tech entrepreneurs.
Olabisi Rafatu Emmanuel, a 34-year-old Nigerian eco-entrepreneur, was recognised for her creative solution of reusable menstrual products to tackle waste generation, a growing problem in Nigerian cities, especially in Lagos where daily plastic consumption is estimated at over 2,000 tonnes. Her work, which transforms waste into usable materials, beat out dozens of other finalists’ entries from across South Africa, Zambia, Cameroon, and Nigeria.
Cameroon’s Moses Afopezi took the top prize with AgricFresh, a platform that reduces post-harvest losses for African farmers using smart storage and logistics.
“This is not just about winning,” chief corporate services and sustainability officer, MTN Nigeria, Tobe Okigbo, said. “It’s about equipping Africa’s youth with the tools to shape a sustainable, inclusive future. As the green economy grows, young Nigerians like Olabisi are showing that they’re ready to lead.”
Nompilo Morafo, Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, MTN, said, “This is not just about innovation — it’s about inclusion, empowerment, and driving meaningful transformation in every market where we operate.”
The challenge’s conclusion comes amid 2025 Earth Day celebrations and renewed debate around Nigeria’s plastic ban policy. With youth unemployment topping 50 per cent and the country aiming to transition to a circular economy, MTN’s initiative couldn’t have come at a better time.
The Africa PachiPanda Challenge is poised to return in 2025 with bigger ambitions — to reach more countries, attract new partners, and spotlight even more bold ideas from young Africans.