Agritech Startup Veelma Shortlisted for MTN Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge

News in Brief:

— Green agribusiness startup Veelma is a top-10 finalist in the 2026 MTN Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge for turning agricultural waste into animal feed and fertiliser.

— Founded by David Kor, the startup will compete for ₦5 million and business support at the Lagos bootcamp and pitch event from October 20–23.

Veelma, a green agribusiness startup, has been selected among the top 10 finalists of the 2026 MTN Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge 3.0. It will have the opportunity to showcase its waste-to-value innovation and compete for millions of naira in funding.

The startup converts food and agricultural waste into sustainable animal feed, organic fertiliser and charcoal briquettes, offering solutions to waste management and the rising cost of livestock production in Nigeria.

The competition, themed “Nature Meets Innovation: Unlocking Africa's Green Economy,” is organised in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria and Deloitte Nigeria.

Veelma will participate in the bootcamp and pitching event in Lagos from October 20 to 23, 2026.

Veelma Targets Lower Animal Feed Costs Through Waste Recycling

Founded by David Kor, Veelma uses Black Soldier Fly larvae to convert organic waste into protein-rich animal feed ingredients and organic fertiliser.

The approach is designed to reduce waste, limit greenhouse gas emissions and provide livestock farmers with more affordable feed alternatives, particularly smallholder farmers facing high production costs.

“We continue to transform bio-organic waste into high-quality animal feed protein, aiming to reduce the high cost of animal feeds for smallholder farmers in Nigeria by at least 40%,” Kor said.

He added that the startup leverages the efficiency of Black Soldier Fly larvae to upcycle waste and promote a circular economy.

Kor aims to grow Veelma into a leading African company in sustainable animal feed production and waste management.

He is also an alumnus of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) Entrepreneurship Programme, through which he received $5,000 in non-refundable seed funding to develop and scale his business.

₦5m Prize Awaits Winner of PachiPanda Challenge

The 2026 PachiPanda Challenge attracted 2,436 entries nationwide before applications closed on August 28, 2026.

The competition offers ₦5 million to the first-place winner, ₦3 million to the second-place winner and ₦2 million to the third-place winner.

Beyond the cash prizes, finalists can access mentorship, business development support and investor exposure. The overall winner will also have the opportunity to represent Nigeria at the Africa PachiPanda Finale in South Africa.

For Veelma, the competition offers an opportunity to demonstrate how converting agricultural waste into useful products can support livestock farmers, create jobs and contribute to a more sustainable agricultural economy.