Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has emerged national champion of the 2026 ENACTUS Nigeria National Competition and will represent the country at the 2026 ENACTUS World Cup scheduled to hold in São Paulo, Brazil, in November.
The university clinched the prestigious ticket after the ENACTUS ABU team defeated other competing teams at the national competition held at the Civic Centre, Lekki, Lagos, from August 11 to 15, 2026.
The victory earned ABU the right to represent Nigeria at the global competition, where teams from 36 ENACTUS countries are expected to showcase innovative entrepreneurial projects designed to address social and economic challenges in their communities.
The national competition brought together ENACTUS teams from universities and polytechnics across Nigeria. The teams presented their entrepreneurial and social innovation projects before a panel comprising academics, business leaders, entrepreneurs and industry experts.
ENACTUS ABU emerged as the overall champion after a keenly contested competition, with its project focusing on challenges affecting the tomato agricultural value chain, particularly pre-harvest pest infestation and post-harvest losses.
Speaking on the achievement, Faculty Adviser of ENACTUS ABU, Prof. M.K. Aliyu, mni, described the victory as a significant milestone for the university, the students and the communities impacted by the project.
He attributed the success to months of research, community engagement, product development, farmer training, partnership building and the commitment of students, alumni, mentors, partners and the university community.
“As we prepare to represent the university and Nigeria on the global stage, we dearly and deeply seek the continued support of ABU management to project the university in this positive enterprise,” Aliyu said.
The faculty adviser commended the Vice-Chancellor and the university management for their continued support for student innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives, saying the support had provided an enabling environment for students to translate ideas into practical solutions.
He also appreciated the contributions of the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), International Centre for Research and Development in Agriculture (ICERFE), East-West Seed Nigeria and the Department of Crop Protection for their technical expertise and research support.
According to him, the contributions of the institutions strengthened the team’s project and played a major role in transforming the students’ ideas from concepts into solutions capable of creating tangible impact.
Prof. Aliyu led the team leaders and more than 150 members of ENACTUS ABU to the national competition in Lagos.
The student leadership team included Abdulfattah O. Omisanya, Team Leader; Augustine Onoja, Project Manager; George O. Otegwu, Secretary General; Hajara Abdulmumin, Financial Secretary; Mohammad Kabiru Umar, Technical Director; and Peace John, Social Media Officer.
With the national title secured, ENACTUS ABU will now focus on preparing for the global stage in São Paulo, where the team will compete against representatives from ENACTUS countries across the world.
