MTN-WWF Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge 2026 for Nigerian Youth-led SMEs (₦10 Million Prize Pool)

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Applications are open for MTN-WWF Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge 2026. The Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge is an innovation challenge designed to provide young people and youth-led SMEs the opportunity to develop innovative, long-term solutions and ideas to pressing environmental challenges and promote sustainability in Nigeria.

This is an initiative of MTN Nigeria in partnership with the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) through its local partner, the Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria and Deloitte Nigeria.

The challenge is part of the MTN’s Africa PachiPanda Challenge, designed to stimulate and champion innovative solutions that address urgent environmental challenges across the continent, in line with MTN’s climate entrepreneurship mandate and the group-wide sustainability strategy “Ambition 2030.” – https://www.mtn.com/pachipanda-challenge/

More than a competition, the Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge is a movement that galvanises participants to think unconventionally, craft solutions that address immediate environmental challenges, and play an active role in ensuring the long-term sustainability of their communities.

The goal of the Africa PachiPanda Challenge is to inspire young people and youth-led SMEs to develop innovative solutions that address immediate environmental challenges and contribute to the long-term sustainability of their communities.

MTN-WWF Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge statements

The PachiPanda Challenge invites youths (18 – 35 years), students (university and college students), young entrepreneurs, youth-led SMEs, entrepreneurs, and individuals from Nigeria to enter their innovative ideas or solutions to the challenge statements on:

Climate Change [Solutions focusing on the reduction of greenhouse gases]
- How can you inspire innovative solutions in Nigeria’s homes and businesses to reduce emissions, fight climate change and build resilience?
Climate Smart Cities and Urban Resilience [Solutions focusing on building cities that can adapt, recover and thrive]
- How can you design innovative solutions that help Nigerian cities become more climate-resilient, inclusive, and sustainable in the face of increasing environmental pressures?
Community Conservation [Solutions focusing on biodiversity protection and community-led conservation efforts for improved livelihood]
- How can you co-create a future in which communities are empowered to lead conservation efforts and drive change through communal wisdom, innovation, and stewardship?
Pollution [Solutions focusing on improved waste management]
- Despite best efforts at waste management, waste still constitutes significant pollution threats across Nigeria with attendant health and environmental risks.

Benefit

The PachiPanda Challenge will:
Discover and incubate young people and youth-led SMEs with innovative and sustainable solutions in Sub-Saharan Africa.
To increase the participation of young people in environmental sustainability in Nigeria and provide a springboard platform for growth in terms of rewarding and scaling their innovation.
To enhance young people’s knowledge of environmental challenges and community-led sustainable solutions.
Provide an opportunity for young people to participate and showcase their creativity, problem-solving skills, and commitment to sustainability.
To support innovative and sustainable solutions for environmental challenges, including climate adaptation and mitigation measures.
To demonstrate how partnership between corporate sector players like MTN and NPOs can drive significant progress in addressing environmental challenges.

MTN-WWF Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge Prizes:

The top three winners will receive prize money to fuel their ideas and represent Nigeria at the Africa Finale — alongside other country champions!
First (1st) Position – ₦ 5,000,000
Second (2nd) Position – ₦ 3,000,000
Third (3rd) Position – ₦ 2,000,000

Eligibility Criteria

The Challenge is open to individuals or teams residing in Nigeria.
Participants should be between 18 and 35.
You may participate as an individual or form a team of a maximum of three members.
Young entrepreneurs or youth-led SMEs with early or idea stage solutions are free to participate, with a maximum of three members.
All participants must register online and submit entries through the designated portal before the deadline.
Participants should provide accurate and complete personal information during registration.
MTN Nigeria, Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria and Deloitte Nigeria employees, and their immediate families are not eligible to participate.
Participants found in violation of the Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge terms and conditions or suspected of fraud, plagiarism, or unethical behaviour, will be disqualified from the Challenge.
The organising committee reserves the right to disqualify any individual or team at its discretion.