Three green startups have received N3.5 million in seed funding from the Foundation for a Better Environment (FABE Foundation) and Deloitte Nigeria to advance sustainability solutions in Nigeria.

The grants were awarded at the FABE Foundation EcoLeaders Accelerator Programme 2026 Closeout, Impact Showcase and Green Innovation Pitch held on Thursday in Ikeja, Lagos. Ten finalists presented solutions addressing waste management, the circular economy and community resilience.

The programme equips young Nigerians with practical skills to build green businesses and lead environmental action. The first-place winner received N2 million, the second-place finalist N1 million and the third-place winner N500,000 to begin implementing their solutions.

Temitope Okunnu, founder and chief executive officer of FABE International Foundation, said the initiative was designed to help young people move beyond climate awareness towards practical action.

“Today is not simply the closeout of another programme,” Temitope Okunnu, founder and chief executive officer of FABE International Foundation, said at the opening address.

“It is the celebration of a journey, the validation of an idea, and most importantly, the beginning of what we hope will become a lifetime of leadership and impact.”

Explaining the programme’s purpose, Okunnu said:

“When we designed the EcoLeaders Accelerator Programme, we were asking a very important question: How do we move young people from being concerned about environmental challenges to becoming equipped, confident and capable leaders who can actually solve them?” she asked.

“Because awareness alone is not enough. Knowing about climate change is not enough. Knowing that our communities have waste problems is not enough,” Okunnu said. “We need young people who can connect these challenges to solutions, enterprise, innovation, policy, leadership and action.”

Participants underwent intensive training through the FABE Institute of Sustainability before ten finalists were selected to pitch their ideas.

“That is why today is not simply a graduation ceremony,” Okunnu said. “Ten of our EcoLeaders have presented to us practical sustainability solutions they have developed through this programme.”

She criticised programmes that leave participants with knowledge but few opportunities to apply it, saying:

“Too often, we train young people, give them certificates, take photographs and send them back into the world with knowledge but no pathway to act on it,” she said.

“We want to do something different. We want our EcoLeaders to leave here knowing that their ideas matter. That they can start where they are.”

Okunnu added that the participants’ personal growth was as important as the funding.

“The greatest prize is not necessarily the grant you may receive today. The greatest prize is the person you have become through this process,” Okunnu said.

The initiative comes as Nigeria faces mounting waste management challenges and seeks to expand green employment. Lagos, with an estimated population of more than 16 million, generates about 13,000 tonnes of solid waste daily, according to the state waste management authority.

Olajumoke Agbetanmije, sustainability consultant for Deloitte West Africa, welcomed the partnership, highlighting the need to develop young leaders who can advance a green economy.

“We are so happy and delighted to be partnering with FABE Foundation on this project,” Olajumoke Agbetanmije, sustainability consultant for Deloitte West Africa, said.

“What can we achieve in future generations without building leaders that are actually looking into building green economy for Nigeria?”

“At Deloitte, our strategy is deeply rooted in impacting lives, doing impacts that really matter,” Agbetanmije said. “So it’s very important that we begin to build leaders that are looking into building sustainable solution, not just for Nigeria, but also for Africa.”

Government representatives also pledged support for youth-led climate action. Yusuf Kelani, special assistant to the president on climate change matters, made the commitment in a speech delivered by his representative, Taiwo Adewole.

“Building a climate-resilient and sustainable Nigeria requires investing in young people, equipping them with practical green skills, and creating opportunities for them to turn innovative ideas into impactful solutions,” Yusuf Kelani, special assistant to the president on climate change matters, said in a speech delivered by Taiwo Adewole, his representative.

“The office of the special assistant to the President on Climate Change Matters remains committed to supporting initiatives that empower young Nigerians to become active contributors to our nation’s climate and green transition agenda,” Kelani said.

Titi Oshodi, special adviser to the Lagos State Government, said effective climate policy requires skilled people, viable businesses and financing, alongside appropriate enforcement and incentives.

“The policies that guide action, people with the right skills, businesses that can deliver solutions, and financing to help viable ideas grow, is only propagated if we’re able to balance enforcement with incentivization,” Oshodi said.

She cited existing national frameworks for climate action and waste management.

“The Climate Change Act of 2021 provides a framework for climate action, while the national policy on solid waste management and the national policy on plastic waste management guide efforts to improve waste management and resource recovery,” she said.

“The next step is to ensure that these policy directions translate into practical results for businesses and communities.”

Source: Businessday