By Abiodun Folarin
WorldStage— The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), has awarded Come Again Foods a combined prize valued at $100,000 after the startup emerged overall winner of the fourth edition of the NSIA Prize for Innovation (NPI 4.0).
Come Again Foods, which manufactures packaged snacks from locally sourced agricultural commodities, emerged tops among 12 finalists selected from 6,000 applications for the competition aimed at supporting Nigerian startups developing solutions to economic and social challenges.
Protein Kapital, a startup that produces protein and biofertilisers through insect farming and organic waste processing, came second with a combined prize valued at $70,000, while Instant Rad Inc., an artificial intelligence-enabled teleradiology platform connecting hospitals and diagnostic centres with radiologists across Africa, placed third with $50,000.
The winners were announced at the NPI 4.0 Demo Day, themed “Building for Impact”, following an evaluation by a panel of experts drawn from Nigeria’s business, investment and innovation sectors.
The programme focused on startups operating in manufacturing, climate and food security, and healthcare, sectors considered critical to economic growth, resilience and sustainable development.
The fourth edition offered a combined prize pool of $275,000, comprising $220,000 from NSIA, $45,000 from Cascador and $10,000 from Wema Bank.
Other beneficiaries included Eight Medical and Uwana Energy, which received $15,000 each under Cascador’s cash prizes, while Sambal Enterprises, Come Again Foods and Ebees Green received $5,000 each under the Cascador Impact prizes.
Under the Wema Bank awards, Eight Medical, Smartel Agri Tech and Tryctor received $4,000 each.
Beyond the cash awards, eligible winners will have the opportunity to access up to $1.5 million in growth capital through Pula Xcelerator to support business expansion and operational growth.
They will also participate in a fully funded entrepreneurial development programme at the Enterprise Development Centre in Lagos, covering business strategy, leadership, governance, financial management, market expansion and investor readiness.
Speaking at the Demo Day, NSIA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Aminu Umar-Sadiq, said the quality of solutions presented reflected the depth of innovation and entrepreneurial talent across Nigeria.
“Through the NSIA Prize for Innovation, we are not only recognising promising ideas; we are creating pathways for entrepreneurs to access the capital, capabilities, networks and partnerships needed to build sustainable, scalable businesses,” he said.
Umar-Sadiq said the expanded opportunities under the fourth edition reinforced the Authority’s commitment to supporting Nigerian innovators developing practical solutions to critical challenges.
He congratulated the winners and finalists, expressing optimism that the businesses would grow, create jobs and deliver meaningful economic and social impact.
According to NSIA, the first three editions of the programme attracted more than 20,000 applications from startups across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, covering sectors including financial technology, agriculture, healthcare, education, transportation and logistics.
The Authority said the initiative combines funding, technical support, entrepreneurial training, mentorship and strategic partnerships to help promising businesses strengthen their operations, expand into new markets and become investment-ready.
The NPI 4.0 programme comprises five stages: pre-selection, an accelerator programme, a mini Demo Day, the final Demo Day and post competition support, including further entrepreneurial development, mentorship, investor engagement and funding opportunities.
NSIA said the programme would continue to support high potential startups capable of developing scalable solutions that contribute to job creation, economic growth and sustainable development in Nigeria.
