Nigerian firms shine at sustainability summit in UAE

Two Nigerian organisations, NaFarm Foods and D-Olivette Global Enterprise, have achieved global recognition at the prestigious Zayed Sustainability Prize.

The prize is celebrated for innovative contributions to solving critical global challenges.

The awards, presented by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, were presented during the 2025 awards ceremony, which was held as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW).

Zayed Sustainability Prize

The Zayed Sustainability Prize, established to honour the legacy of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, celebrates advancements in six key categories: health, food, energy, water, climate action, and global high schools.

This year, the organisers distributed $5.9 million to eleven winners from around the world, recognising transformative solutions that have proven to impact over 407 million lives since its inception in 2009.

Among the standout winners was NaFarm Foods, based in Kaduna State, which secured victory in the food category.

The organisation’s hybrid solar-powered dryers reduce post-harvest losses for Nigerian farmers by improving crop preservation and food security. These reliable and cost-effective dryers benefit agriculture-dependent communities even in cloudy weather.

Speaking at the event, Abdullateef Olaosebikan, the co-founder of NaFarm Foods, highlighted the critical role of technology in addressing Nigeria’s agricultural challenges.

“The ecosystem in Nigeria is causing a lot of businesses to shutter, especially in the agricultural space. We need more people like myself, trying to use technology to enhance food production, processing, and storage. We believe this can truly improve food sustainability in Nigeria. That is why we are here—to transform the food system in Nigeria,” he stated.

The co-founder further revealed that NaFarm Foods has “impacted six northern states and plans to expand to sixteen more states with the support garnered from this recognition.”

D-Olivette Global Enterprise, a finalist in the Energy category, was recognised for their IoT and AI-assisted innovative waste management solution that improves collection efficiency by 40 per cent.

The enterprise is an innovator in AI and IoT-enabled biodigesters that transform organic waste into renewable energy and valuable agricultural products. Its biodigesters, designed for households and farms, feature AI and IoT sensors with multilingual support in English and African languages.

These tools empower women, farmers, and refugees to convert waste into clean cooking fuel, electricity, livestock feed, and organic fertiliser.

Innovation, collaboration

President Bola Tinubu, who is attending the summit, lauded the two Nigerian firms for their wins and innovative solutions.

In a Facebook post, the President wrote, “I joined His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, and other world leaders at the opening of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and the Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony, where a Nigerian SME, NaFarm Foods, won the Zayed Sustainability Prize in the Food Category for their work developing scalable hybrid solar food dryers that preserve food and reduce CO₂ emissions.

“Another Nigerian entrant, D-Olivette Global Enterprise, was a finalist in the Energy category and was recognised for their IoT and AI-assisted innovative waste management solution that improves collection efficiency by 40%. I congratulate both SMEs for doing Nigeria proud.”

Subsequently, in his seven-minute speech at the summit, he highlighted that the fight against climate change is an environmental need and an economic opportunity to reshape Africa and the global energy landscape. He stated that for Africa to succeed, it must innovate and collaborate globally, with international support, to build a sustainable and prosperous green economy.

Other highlights

This year, African innovations were recognised, with Ghana’s Sakafia Islamic Senior High School winning the Global High Schools award for its aquaponics project, which combines fish farming with hydroponic vegetables.

Tanzania’s Open Map Development Tanzania (OMDTZ) won the Climate Action award for using drones and GIS to create flood risk maps.

Other notable winners included India’s Periwinkle Technologies, Australia’s SkyJuice Foundation, and Bangladesh’s Palki Motors for their health, water, and energy innovations, respectively. Schools from Mexico, Nepal, and New Zealand were also recognised in the Global High Schools category.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan praised the winners in his remarks: “By nurturing these efforts, we are not only creating a more sustainable future for all but also honouring the legacy of Sheikh Zayed, whose vision for global progress and humanitarianism continues to guide us.”

The 2025 ADSW, running from 12 to 18 January, has drawn over 3,500 delegates, including policymakers, industry specialists, and sustainability leaders from 150 countries.

The theme “The Nexus of Next: Supercharging Sustainable Progress,” emphasises the need to accelerate sustainable development, showcasing Africa’s potential for innovation and the value of local solutions to global challenges.