Allgreen Ivy Limited, a female-led Nigerian cleantech company, has emerged as the national winner of the 2025 Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP) Nigeria.
The startup earned a total of $15,000 in prizes at the National Forum and Award Ceremony held at the Providence Hotel, GRA, Ikeja.
Allgreen Ivy, which manufactures biodegradable sanitary pads from agricultural waste, received $10,000 as the overall winner and an additional $5,000 as the best female-led startup.
Other winners include One Grid Energies, which was named first runner-up and best climate mitigation startup, receiving $12,500, while Rekool Access Technology took home $5,000 as second runner-up.
Speaking at the event, Akinwande Akinsulire, head of the startup support division at CcHUB Africa, said the programme celebrates outstanding startups driving sustainability and innovation in Nigeria’s cleantech space.
“Over the last three years, we have supported 25 entrepreneurs annually,” he said.
“This national competition celebrates the most outstanding startups and recognizes the ecosystem of partners—from government agencies to private sector collaborators—who are helping grow Nigeria’s cleantech sector.”
Akinsulire added that cleantech remains an emerging industry in Nigeria.
“From nearly 300 applications, only 25 were selected for the year-long programme,” he said, noting that participants received technical, business, and sustainability support, including CO₂ emission calculations.
Amin Lukeman, project manager of GCIP Nigeria at the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), described the initiative as key to Nigeria’s clean energy transition.
“The world is moving towards net-zero emissions, and cleantech is the future,” he said.
“We design financial mechanisms to help enterprises scale up their technologies, replacing generators and other carbon-emitting systems with sustainable alternatives.”
Reuben Bamidele, national programme officer at UNIDO Nigeria, said the agency continues to strengthen renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives by supporting small businesses and policy frameworks.
N.A. Esuabana, permanent secretary of the federal ministry of innovation, science and technology, commended the programme’s success as “a model for partnership and inclusive innovation”.
Receiving the top prize, Lydia Ekpong Thompson, CEO of Allgreen Ivy, said the funds would help automate the company’s production process, boosting output from 250 to 3,500 sanitary pads per day.
“Automation will also allow us to expand support to local farmers and women’s cooperatives,” she said.
“Allgreen Ivy’s biodegradable pads, made from banana fibre and other agricultural by-products, promote women’s health while protecting the environment.”
The third edition of the GCIP Nigeria Awards was organised in partnership with UNIDO, GEF, REA, and CcHUB.
The initiative reaffirms Nigeria’s growing commitment to innovation, sustainability, and women’s leadership in the cleantech space.
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