01
First Edition
The night a quiet idea became a Lagos institution.
Seventh Edition·2026·Lagos, Nigeria
Celebrating the excellence of young Lagos
Across forty categories, the Lagos Young Entrepreneurs Awards honour the founders under fifty rewriting what enterprise looks like in Africa's boldest city.
The Mission
An award with a
reason behind it.
The Lagos Young Entrepreneurs Awards exists to do one thing exceptionally well, turn the spotlight on the young people building the businesses that move Lagos. Not the obvious names. The ones doing the work.
Across six editions, LAYEAWARDS has grown into a credible platform for youth-led innovation, a night of recognition, mentorship and genuine consequence for founders under fifty making their mark on Africa's most ambitious city.
Built for the room that decides what comes next, not the one already convinced.
40
Award Categories
Forty competitive honours spanning every sector of enterprise.
6
Editions Staged
A platform six years in the making.
5
Lifetime Icons
Business legends invested with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Why It Matters
Eight goals behind
one night.
LAYEAWARDS is built with intent, every edition works toward the same set of outcomes for Lagos.
01
Inspire Excellence
Recognise, reward and celebrate outstanding young entrepreneurs driving innovation and growth in Lagos State.
02
Stimulate Growth
Create new business opportunities and generate sustainable employment for young people.
03
Build a Culture
Foster entrepreneurship by promoting skills acquisition, innovation and enterprise development.
04
Position Lagos
Establish Lagos State as a hub for youth-driven innovation, investment and sustainable development.
05
Open Doors
Expand access to opportunity by connecting young entrepreneurs to networks, resources and growth platforms.
06
Empower Potential
Identify, nurture and empower high-potential youth to become impactful leaders.
07
Connect the Ecosystem
Build a platform that encourages collaboration, mentorship and collective development.
08
Drive Participation
Mobilise young people to actively shape the economic prosperity of Lagos State.
The Honours
Forty ways to be
recognised.
Forty competitive awards across every sector of enterprise, and three special honours reserved for the few.
Emerging EntrepreneurBeauty & MakeupImport & ExportLeisure, Tourism & TravelReal Estate & PropertyOil & GasSecurity ServicesPower & Renewable EnergyFashion & StyleSocial ImpactTeen EntrepreneurHotel & HospitalityOnline & DigitalEmerging EntertainmentFood, Chef & GrillsSportsLogistics & TransportationFemale EntrepreneurAgribusinessICT & Tech Startup
Professional ServicesStudent EntrepreneurFood & BeverageAutomobileBlogger of the YearInterior Design & DécorFitness & WellnessOutstanding BusinesswomanEntrepreneur with DisabilityMost Influential Young EntrepreneurMedia EntrepreneurEvents PlanningNightlifeCo-Founder of the YearCEO of the YearContent & CreativeTalent PromotionAgrotourismIntrapreneur of the YearInfrastructure Development
Category B · Special Honours
Corporate Brand Recognition Award
Conferred on a corporate organisation whose work has measurably advanced enterprise in Lagos.
NGO of the Year Award
Honouring a non-profit whose impact on Lagos communities stands above the rest.
Lifetime Entrepreneurship Achievement Award
The evening's highest honour, invested upon five business icons who have shaped the economic landscape.
The Process
From application to
acclaim.
Four steps stand between you and the LAYEAWARDS stage.
- 01
Register
Submit your nomination for the category that fits your enterprise. Registration runs 1 June to 15 August.
- 02
Get Shortlisted
After registration closes, the panel shortlists four finalists in every category for the public vote.
- 03
Win the Vote
Public voting runs 25 August to 30 September. Share your link, every vote counts toward the title.
- 04
Be Honoured
Winners are honoured at the ceremony, the night a year of work becomes a name remembered.
The Public Vote
The city decides its
winners.
Every title is settled by public vote, four finalists per category, one decided by the people of Lagos.
Phase 01
Registration
June 1, 2026, August 15, 2026
Entrepreneurs register for their category. The review panel verifies every entry against the eligibility criteria.
Phase 02
Public Voting
August 25, 2026, September 30, 2026
Four finalists are shortlisted per category. The public then votes to decide each winner.
Phase 03
The Grand Gala
Lagos · Date to be announced
Winners are crowned before the Governor, investors and the leaders of Lagos on the awards night.
The Experience
Far more than an
awards night.
Business meets spectacle, a full evening of recognition, enterprise and entertainment.
01
Miss Entrepreneur Lagos
The signature pageant segment, poise, enterprise and presence on one stage.
02
Entrepreneurship Masterclass
A working session with operators who have built and scaled in Lagos.
03
Mentorship Sessions
Structured access to the leaders shaping the city's business landscape.
04
Red Carpet Reception
A high-visibility arrival worthy of the guests it gathers.
05
LAYE Awards Magazine
The official launch of the commemorative magazine of the edition.
06
Lifetime Achievement Investiture
Five business icons invested with the evening's highest honour.
07
Live Entertainment
Leading Nigerian artists, top-tier comedy and a curated fashion showcase.
08
The Awards Ceremony
Forty competitive titles and three special honours, presented in full.
In the Room
The Executive Governor of Lagos StateSenators & Members of the House of RepresentativesMembers of the Lagos State House of AssemblyCommissioners & the State Executive CouncilLocal Government Chairmen & public-sector leadersLeading entrepreneurs & business ownersChief executives & corporate leadersHigh-net-worth individuals & prominent personalitiesInfluential figures from the entertainment industryFormer beauty queens & pageant title holdersEmerging youth leaders & aspiring entrepreneurs
Hall of Fame
Six editions of
recognition.
A platform built one ceremony at a time, and the night Lagos keeps coming back for.
02
Second Edition
A wider stage, and the first wave of returning honourees.
03
Third Edition
New categories opened the floor to a new generation.
04
Fourth Edition
The red carpet that turned recognition into a spectacle.
05
Fifth Edition
Mentorship, masterclasses and the rise of the LAYE Awards Magazine.
06September 2025
Sixth Edition
Lagos' young enterprise, honoured on its biggest night yet.
Moments of Excellence
The night, as it
unfolds.
Sponsorship
Put your brand on
Lagos' boldest night.
An audience of HNWIs, investors, government and corporate leaders. Six tiers of partnership, from a reserved table to exclusive headline billing.
Principal Sponsor
The headline partnership, maximum brand dominance across every touchpoint of the awards.
Platinum Sponsor
High-level visibility, strong media presence and strategic stakeholder engagement.
Gold Sponsor
Strong visibility and credible association within a high-profile business audience.
Silver Sponsor
Consistent visibility and engagement throughout the campaign lifecycle.
Category Sponsor
Own an award category outright, with targeted brand alignment and recognition.
Table Sponsor
Premium table branding and hospitality with direct access to high-profile guests.
In the Press
The coverage the
work has earned.
LAYEAWARDS has grown over the years into a strong platform that highlights innovations by young people.
Across six editions the awards have set out to inspire a new generation of business leaders, reward genuine excellence, and make the case, loudly, for the role young enterprise plays in the economic life of Lagos.
Oluwanisola Ashifat
Chief Executive Officer & Creative Director
Seventh Edition · 2026
Excellence deserves an audience.
Apply for the seventh edition, or back the founders you believe in. The stage is set.