By Chinedu Adonu

ENUGU — Chief Executive Officer of Velas Global Nutrition Limited, Chinyere Oluchukwu Osuji, has emerged the overall winner of the MTN Live It 100 Pitchathon competition worth N5 million held in Enugu

She clinched the star prize of N2.5 million to support the expansion of her innovative nutrition-based food business.

Other winners at the Pitchathon included Werxio, founded by Donatus Prince, which received N1.5 million, while Whipcare Company secured N1 million in grant support.

The competition, organised by MTN Nigeria as part of its Live It 100 Campaign, attracted over 100 business submissions from young entrepreneurs across the country, with only 10 finalists selected to pitch their ideas before a panel of judges.

Speaking on behalf of MTN’s Regional General Manager, Sales, Callima Inino, Peter Kajovo explained that the campaign was designed to encourage Nigerian youths to express themselves fully and pursue multiple passions while building sustainable livelihoods.

“The overall idea is to encourage youths to live their best lives and have fuller expressions of themselves. Whether you are a student, photographer, makeup artist, tech enthusiast, or welder, you should not allow society to box you into one identity,” Kajovo said.

He explained that the pitchathon was one of the campaign’s key activities, aimed at supporting innovative business ideas and existing enterprises with grants to enable growth and sustainability.

“We received over 100 submissions and carefully selected the top 10 entrepreneurs who are here today to present their business ideas and existing ventures before our judges. The best among them will receive grants to support their businesses,” he added.

Osuji’s winning venture, Velas Global Nutrition Limited, is an agro-food processing company based at the Technology Incubation Centre, Enugu. The company focuses on producing healthier baked products from indigenous Nigerian legumes such as okpa, akidi, ukwa, fiofio and uzuaki.

According to Osuji, the company spent nearly a decade conducting research to develop a six-stage processing protocol that transforms the underutilised legumes into shelf-stable flour for bread, cookies and other baked products.

“We are committed to closing the nutritional gap in baked flour products using indigenous legumes grown on our soil. These food commodities are highly nutritious but largely underutilised. We have developed technology that allows us to convert them into healthier alternatives to conventional baked products,” she said.

Among the company’s products are Okpa Bread, Akidi Bread, Ukwa Bread, Fiofio Bread and Uzuaki Bread, alongside 100 per cent gluten-free cookies targeted at diabetics and people with nutrition-related health conditions.

Expressing excitement over her victory, Osuji described the award as validation of years of dedication and research.

“It is exciting. When you put in your best, you believe that excellence deserves recognition. This win is a motivation for us to continue our mission of making Nigerians healthier through better food options,” she said.

She revealed that her inspiration came from her mother’s health struggles, which she attributed partly to the consumption of highly processed foods.

“My mother ran a restaurant but consumed a lot of baked products. Over time she became ill and eventually lost her sight. That experience made me begin to ask what healthier alternatives existed on Nigerian shelves. That question started my research journey,” she explained.

A graduate of Home Economics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and a lecturer at the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, Osuji said her company’s products are developed with guidance from nutrition experts, including Professor Chika Ndiokwelu, a clinical nutritionist and dietitian.

She noted that while Nigeria depends heavily on imported wheat for bread production, local legumes offer a sustainable and healthier alternative that can reduce import dependence and improve nutrition.

“Our products are already available through retailers and direct orders from customers in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Onitsha and Delta.

However, we need funding to acquire semi-automated equipment that will enable us scale production and reach more consumers,” she said.

Osuji disclosed that the N2.5 million grant would be invested in acquiring critical production equipment to boost capacity.

“Our target is to scale production to 20 tonnes of bread monthly and eventually expand beyond Nigeria. We are also planning to partner with smallholder farmers, especially women farmers, to cultivate legumes locally in the South-East and create a sustainable supply chain,” she added.

Currently, the company sources most of its legumes from Gombe State but hopes to encourage local cultivation within the South-East region as production expands.

The MTN Live It 100 Campaign continues to serve as a platform for empowering young Nigerians, promoting entrepreneurship and supporting innovative solutions to social and economic challenges.