A Nigerian entrepreneur, Smart Israel, has won the $100,000 2026 Global Citizen Waislitz Grand Prize for developing innovative farming systems that use solar energy and artificial intelligence (AI) to grow food without soil
Israel, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Smartel Agri Tech, will use the award to expand the company’s operations and extend its climate-smart farming solutions to an additional 5,000 households.
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The innovation uses hydroponic technology, a method of growing plants without soil by delivering essential nutrients through water. By combining the system with solar power and AI-enabled monitoring, Smartel helps communities grow fresh vegetables in environments where conventional farming is difficult.
Israel’s interest in the technology grew from his childhood in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where he saw how resource conflicts, displacement, and climate change contributed to hunger and malnutrition in vulnerable communities.
These experiences inspired him to establish Smartel Agri Tech, a climate-technology enterprise focused on improving food production and access to nutritious meals in underserved communities.
The company’s systems are designed to operate in areas with limited access to fertile farmland and reliable electricity. Its technology also supports farmers in monitoring growing conditions and managing crop production.
According to Global Citizen, Smartel has already deployed more than 3,000 systems, helping thousands of farmers and families gain access to sustainable food production.
The $100,000 prize will support the company’s plan to reach 5,000 additional households and expand its community hydroponic hub model.
The Global Citizen Waislitz Awards, organised by Global Citizen and the Waislitz Foundation, recognise individuals developing innovative solutions to challenges associated with extreme poverty. The 2026 edition awarded a total of $300,000 to three winners, with each recipient receiving $100,000 to expand their work.
Apart from Israel, Diana Yousef, founder and Chief Executive Officer of change: WATER Labs, received the Disruptor Award for developing a waterless sanitation solution, while Nigerian innovator Oghenekevwe William Emadago, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Girlified, won the People’s Choice Award for transforming agricultural waste into affordable sanitary pads.
Global Citizen said the award recognises entrepreneurs and community leaders whose innovations demonstrate potential for wider impact through proof of concept, scalability, adaptability and disruption.
Israel’s recognition highlights the growing contribution of Nigerian innovators to global efforts to address food insecurity and climate change, while demonstrating how locally developed technologies can provide practical solutions to challenges affecting vulnerable communities.
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