The Federal Ministry of Youth Development has announced that 17 youth-led startups have successfully benefitted from the maiden NiYA StartUp Pitch 1.0, reinforcing government efforts to convert youth innovation into economic value. The initiative, under the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA), provides a national platform for young entrepreneurs to access mentorship, partnerships and investor interest.
Participating ventures ranged across sectors including technology, healthcare, agriculture, mobility and services, with startups such as Trybb Enterprise, Mobile HealthCare Initiative, Project Launch Pad, Agrogrid, Kedu, Acheva Technologies Limited, Asoro Automotive, Smart OPs AI, BoiBoi Technologies, Smartify, Charge 24/7 Plugzone, ExportPlug, Univille Nigeria Limited, Washup Weekly and Switched demonstrating scalable business models and resilience.
The Ministry described the milestone as a sign of growing confidence in youth enterprises and a crucial step in building a pipeline of job creators. It reaffirmed that NiYA is structured to guide young Nigerians “from learning to earning” through its interconnected platforms,NiYA Gigs, NiYA Jobs, NiYA Academy and NiYA StartUp, offering pathways not just for skills, but for market access and financial inclusion.
The Honourable Minister for Youth Development reiterated that while the current figures may appear modest, the broader vision is to steadily expand opportunities. He noted that NiYA StartUp Pitch 1.0 is not merely a contest but a collective movement engaging government, private investors and regulators such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, which has now signalled interest in supporting future cohorts.
Earlier in March, six young Nigerians from different geopolitical zones received support during NiYA’s official launch through a partnership with Providus Bank. With 17 additional startups now backed, the Ministry is positioning NiYA as a national innovation network capable of nurturing youth-led enterprises into globally competitive brands.
By strengthening platforms like NiYA, the Ministry aims to empower a new generation of founders whose solutions can drive productivity, stimulate local industries and open new value chains for micro and small businesses across the economy.
