Cotonou, Benin – July 17, 2025 – The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) has today announced the winners of the 2025 Fortify Forward Innovation Challenge (FFIC), a landmark pan-African competition designed to unearth and champion scalable solutions addressing malnutrition through food fortification and biofortification. The announcement follows high-profile finale events held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Cotonou, Benin, where finalists from across East and West Africa presented their groundbreaking work.
Over two intensive days, these pioneering innovators engaged with mentors, participated in crucial knowledge-sharing sessions with experts, policymakers, and leaders from the nutrition and business sectors across the entire food value chain. The challenge underscores the urgent need for innovative approaches to “hidden hunger,” a widespread micronutrient deficiency that compromises immunity, stunts child growth, and diminishes productivity across the continent.
“Food fortification and biofortification are game-changing yet underutilised solutions to malnutrition,” stated Dr. Lawrence Haddad, Executive Director of GAIN. “Through Fortify Forward, we are not only identifying breakthrough African innovations, we’re supporting them with the tools to grow, scale, and save lives.”
Addressing Africa’s Nutritional Imperative
Malnutrition remains a formidable challenge across Africa. East Africa alone sees 23 million people in Kenya undernourished, while Ethiopia and Rwanda grapple with childhood stunting rates exceeding 33%. In West Africa, Nigeria carries the world’s second-highest burden of stunted children, and in Benin, a staggering 58% of women suffer from anaemia. These statistics highlight the pervasive nature of micronutrient deficiencies and the critical need for sustainable interventions.
Food fortification involves the addition of essential micronutrients like iron, zinc, vitamin A, and iodine to staple foods such as flour, oil, and salt, providing vital nutrients without requiring changes in dietary habits. Biofortification, on the other hand, improves the nutrient content of crops at the seed level, boosting vitamins and minerals in staple foods like maize, cassava, and sweet potatoes. Both methods are scientifically proven and cost-effective strategies against micronutrient deficiencies.
Tanzania, notably, has a history of pioneering large-scale food fortification, with initiatives dating back to the 1990s with salt iodization. Recent regulations, enacted in 2024, expanded mandatory fortification to include all levels of maize flour, wheat flour, and edible oil production, reaching small millers for the first time. This robust regulatory framework and commitment to fortification make Dar es Salaam an apt host for such a pivotal event. As Prisca Rwezahura, GAIN Tanzania Country Director, remarked, “Tanzania has pioneered large-scale food fortification, and it’s inspiring to see new innovators building on that work. We are proud to have championed the fortify forward innovation challenge and play a key role in advancing nutrition security in Africa.”
From Outreach to Impact: The FFIC Journey
The journey for the 2025 winners began in January with regional outreach campaigns spanning eight African countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Benin. Applications were rigorously reviewed in April and May, leading to the selection of finalists in June. These shortlisted innovators then received virtual training in business, nutrition, and innovation, preparing them for the final showcase in July.
The tangible rewards for the winners extend beyond financial grants, which ranged from $5,000 to $10,000. Each winner will become part of a comprehensive, long-term support program designed to scale their innovations. This includes tailored mentorship from experts in nutrition, agri-tech, business, and impact investment, alongside technical support to strengthen their fortification processes. The program also offers capacity building in areas such as marketing and business development, and sustained post-competition support from GAIN and its partners. Crucially, winners join a vibrant community of peers and experts, fostering collaborative innovation in nutrition and public health. They will also gain global and national visibility through GAIN’s media platforms and access invaluable networking opportunities with investors, policymakers, and African food systems leaders.
Spotlight on the Innovators
The winners represent a diverse and promising array of solutions:
East Africa Winners include:
- Aston Steven Shayo, Agroasys, Tanzania: A blockchain platform aimed at ensuring traceability, fair pricing, and transparency in agriculture.
- Judy Mwende Mutunga, Fortified Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato Flours, Kenya: Developing OFSP fortified flour rich in iron, zinc, and vitamin A.
- Samuel Uwihanganye, Monti 7 in 1 Composite flour, Rwanda: A multi-ingredient flour enriched with iron beans for maternal and child nutrition.
- Mukhammad Ramadhani Costa, MOODY POP – Fortified Porridge, Tanzania: Fortified porridge flour with iron, B12, zinc, and folic acid.
- John Makongoro Masero, Kwanzaa Venture, Tanzania: Offering fortified porridge with local grains and micronutrients for rural markets.
- Reggie Joseph Okoko, Digital Traceability Platform, Kenya: A platform mapping biofortified foods from farm to fork.
- Nicholas Obudho Simon, TAWIAFYA TRACK, Kenya: Tracking and certifying biofortified crops using QR codes and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID).
- Odwour Erich Midigo, Udongo Kwa Maisha, Kenya: Fortifying sorghum with local nutrient-rich foods and digital farmer tools.
- Niyibikora Aime, Fortified Instant Porridge, Rwanda: Instant porridge fortified with key micronutrients for school children.
- Charite Abijuru, MamaToto Mix, Rwanda: A cricket-based fortified porridge specifically tailored for maternal and child health.
- Ezekiel Daniel, Fortified Yogurt, Tanzania: Yogurt enriched with vitamin A, zinc, iron, and calcium.
West Africa Winners include:
- Uzoma Chidimma – Enhancing Nutrition Through Fortified Yogurts – Nigeria: Fortified yogurt with vitamins and minerals using precision micro-dosing and consumer education.
- Yetunde Adegbite – CarroNutra: Precision Carrot Dehydration for Micronutrient Fortification – Nigeria: A solar-hybrid system producing carrot powder rich in beta-carotene for natural food fortification.
- Cynthia Adams – Biofortified Vitamin A Maize Cereal, Flour and Snack – Nigeria: Vitamin A maize processed into flour, cereal, and snacks sourced from women farmers.
- Ini Jimmy – Palmshops: Integrated Agri-tech Platform – Nigeria: An agri-tech platform offering traceability, farmer training, and market access for biofortified crops.
- Bide Adegnandjou Ruth Doris – Bisikuiti Fonio: Le Biscuit Nutritif et Fortifié à base de Fonio – Benin: Fonio-based biscuit enriched with iron, zinc, vitamins B and D, and plant proteins.
- Noua Gbemisola Christiane – École Doctorale des Sciences Agronomiques et de l’Eau – Benin: Research on orange-fleshed sweet potato integration through recipes, training, and outreach.
- Theresa Abimbola Awotundun – Microbial-Based Biofortification of Fermented African Locust Beans with Folate – Nigeria: Fermented locust beans enhanced with folate using modified Bacillus strains.
- Endurance Awolowo – Distrifoods Nigeria – Phytase Supplementation – Nigeria: Utilizing microbial phytase to improve mineral absorption in plant-based staple foods.
- Victor Enyojo Agi – FortiCart – Mobile Market-Based Food Fortification for Last-Mile Nutrition – Nigeria: A mobile solar-powered cart fortifying staple foods at rural markets with premixes and education.
- Yehouessi L. Wilfried – Fortification de la Purée de Tomate Sweetounvi à la Vitamine A – Benin: Locally made tomato purée fortified with vitamin A and packaged to protect nutrients.
- Alladahouinnon Eddy Géraud Metogbé – Mandagbé: Fortification des Légumes Feuilles Transformés avec du Sel Iodé – Benin: Leafy vegetables fortified with iodized salt during processing to prevent iodine deficiency.
- Chinenye Unoka – IoT Enabled Solar Powered Food Fortification for Sustainable Nutrition – Nigeria: An IoT-monitored solar system producing fortified foods with a digital marketplace for distribution.
The Fortify Forward Innovation Challenge is organized by GAIN, Nutrition Connect, and proudly supported by the Governments of Tanzania and Benin, The Waterloo Foundation, ECOWAS, DSM-Firmenich, NMB Foundation, Alliance of Biodiversity & CIAT, SUN Business Network, and the University of Abomey Calavi-Benin. This collaborative effort signals a promising future for nutrition security and public health across Africa.
