PHOTO; Courtesy
MTN, in collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has announced the winners of the 2025 Africa PachiPanda Challenge, concluding a continent-wide search for youth-led environmental enterprises driving Africa’s green economy.
Guided by this year’s theme, “Nourishing Tomorrow: Innovations for Food, Energy, and Water Security,” the challenge spotlighted young eco-entrepreneurs aged 18–35 who are designing practical, locally grounded solutions to some of Africa’s most urgent environmental and development challenges.
Announcing the winners, MTN said the initiative reflects its conviction that young Africans must be at the centre of climate innovation and green growth.
“Africa is the youngest continent in the world, yet its youth remain among the most vulnerable to climate shocks, unemployment and systemic inequality. At the same time, they are powerful agents of change – closest to the challenges, deeply invested in their communities, and uniquely positioned to shape sustainable solutions.”
Designed to equip Africa’s next generation of environmental leaders with mentorship, tools and networks, the Africa PachiPanda Challenge continues to grow in scale and impact.
The 2025 edition expanded to include Uganda, joining Zambia, South Africa, Nigeria and Cameroon, deepening the programme’s pan-African footprint.
Applications increased by an estimated 35–40 percent, while more than 150 eco-entrepreneurs went through training, mentorship, and pitch preparation, nearly double the previous cohort.
In Nigeria, OneGrid Energies emerged as a standout for its circular clean-energy solution.
The enterprise upcycles waste plastic bottles and used lithium-ion batteries into affordable lanterns for underserved communities, reducing pollution while expanding household lighting access.
Solar-powered charging stations operated by rural women further integrate environmental protection with economic empowerment.
South Africa’s CarbonSmart Solutions Africa, founded by Wendile Mpofu, is advancing climate-smart agriculture by helping smallholder farmers improve soil health while earning verified carbon credits.
Through biochar application and IoT-supported digital monitoring, the enterprise enables transparent measurement of carbon sequestration.
Its mobile app connects farmers to soil data, training, and carbon-market insights, opening pathways for rural communities to access climate finance.
Uganda’s FarmGate Digital, led by Ruth Kyobutungi, is transforming food security with a data-driven platform that aggregates real-time farm-gate prices and predictive insights.
By helping farmers determine optimal harvest and sale periods, the innovation reduces post-harvest losses, prevents spoilage and strengthens market transparency.
In Zambia, McKingtorch Zambia, founded by Racheal Tembo, converts plastic waste into durable, eco-friendly products including bags and slippers.
The initiative addresses mounting waste-management pressures while creating green jobs and skills development opportunities, particularly for women and youth.
Cameroon’s first-place champion, nTron STEM Kit, links environmental sustainability with education by converting plastic waste into 3D-printing filament used to produce hands-on STEM learning kits.
By combining recycling with practical science and robotics training, the enterprise diverts waste while equipping young people with skills relevant to Africa’s green and digital economy.
MTN emphasised that the Challenge demonstrates how connectivity and partnerships can unlock scalable impact.
“For MTN, PachiPanda demonstrates how digital connectivity and targeted partnerships can strategically enable scalable green enterprises, strengthen local innovation ecosystems and deliver shared value across markets, while positioning MTN as a credible catalyst of Africa’s green economy and equipping youth innovators to attract capital, partnerships and policy-relevant exposure beyond the programme.”MTN on a statement.
Beyond the awards ceremony, alumni from previous editions have generated measurable impact, including preventing over 120 tonnes of food waste through solar-powered cold-chain innovations, expanding digital learning access to more than 15,000 underserved learners, and strengthening clean-energy and women’s health ecosystems through circular economy models.
Several have progressed to international platforms, including African Union-linked initiatives.
As part of the 2025 edition, finalists will participate in an enhanced Masterclass in partnership with Deloitte, focused on governance, scaling strategies and investor engagement.
Winners will receive MTN funding alongside structured post-competition mentorship.
An immersive learning experience hosted by Wits Business School will further expose participants to Africa’s academic and scientific heritage, including engagements at the Wits Planetarium and the Origins Centre.
The continental finals will be hosted at MTN Group Headquarters in Johannesburg on 10 February 2026, marking the culmination of the 2025 Challenge.
Together, this year’s winners underscore a broader message: that Africa’s sustainable future will be shaped by youth-driven innovation rooted in local realities and scaled through partnerships that enable ideas to move from concept to continental impact.
