MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, in partnership with the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) through the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria, has shortlisted 100 young Nigerian innovators for the second phase of the Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge — an initiative focused on developing home-grown solutions to Nigeria’s most urgent environmental issues.
The programme targets critical sustainability areas including climate change, pollution control, community conservation, and environmental resilience.
Out of 2,169 applications received nationwide, the top 100 innovators were chosen through a rigorous, multi-stage evaluation process led by 20 expert assessors. Selection was based on fairness, consistency, and equity to identify the most promising entries capable of driving real environmental impact.
Launched in 2024, the PachiPanda Challenge is part of MTN’s sustainability strategy to empower youth-led innovation and promote eco-entrepreneurship. The initiative provides participants with mentorship, technical workshops, seed funding, and access to a network of experts and environmental leaders.
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According to organisers, the shortlisted innovators will undergo a final evaluation to select the Top 10 finalists, who will participate in a three-day sprint pitch and masterclass in November 2025 in Lagos. The winners will advance to the Africa PachiPanda Contest, representing Nigeria at the continental level.
MTN reaffirmed that through the PachiPanda platform, it aims to nurture a generation of environmentally conscious innovators driving local and regional action toward a sustainable and greener future.
