Nigeria’s Ibiseun Aroniyo has emerged as the winner of the Soy Excellence Center Sub-Saharan Africa’s STAR Award at the just concluded 2025 Soy Connext Conference in Washington, DC, United States.
The Soy Excellence Centre (SEC), an initiative of the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), provides transformative training and capacity-building to early and mid-career professionals across the soy value chain.
The programme empowers the next generation of protein professionals to be tomorrow’s leaders and with the training, participants learn how to optimise production, reduce waste, and be more efficient, all while doing it sustainably.
Aroniyo outperformed 54 other applicants in the region to win the SEC Top Achiever Recognition (STAR) Award for his outstanding performance as a trainee.
“Getting this award has actually made me very excited about the opportunities lying ahead,” he said in a video during the presentation of the award.
“And the prospects of being able to contribute better to the soybeans value chain development for the future,” he added.
Aroniyo said that the skills gained during the SEC programme had helped him reduce waste and improve quality in his company’s operations, which has attracted lots of positive feedback from customers.
He noted that he has also transferred the skills to members of his team in the quality assurance department.
Michael David, SEC’s Sub-Saharan Africa’s centre lead, said many powerful stories from the region on growth, resilience and peer-to-peer empowerment were submitted.
According to him, after a rigorous review, three finalists were selected based on their leadership and drive to help others alongside themselves.
He noted that Aroniyo’s outstanding role as quality assurance manager and his ability to bring his SEC learning into his company’s operations to raise performance standards, as well as mentor his team members through practical knowledge sharing, helped him clinch the award.
Speaking about the selection process of the SEC STAR Award recipients across the three regions, Joe Stoller, SEC GAP secretary, said the response for the award was truly impressive.
“There were 78 applicants from three regions, each sharing their unique vision for the future of our soy industry.”
“Our regional centre has a challenging task of selecting the top three finalists in their respective regions.”
“These finalists will then be evaluated by a global advisory panel in the impact committee, who then select the star award winner.”
Anne Meis, SEC GAP vice chair, said it was an honour for her to be part of the selection committee, noting that it truly made her realise the level people are taking the training and education to.
She congratulated all the star award winners and finalists. “You are proof that the future of U.S soy is in great hands.”
Receiving the award on his behalf, Bill Bayliss, SEC GAP member, said Aroniyo joined the SEC programme to deepen his skills in the feed mill and poultry management, noting that the impact of the programme has been remarkable.
“Aroniyo improved production lines, boosted product quality and inspired his company and other industry members to join the SEC programme,” he said.
“One of his proudest achievements is applying his SEC learnings to develop two products that include Premier Pelletized Feed and leading his team to earn the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification for his area,” he explained.
He added that Aroniyo sends his appreciation to the SEC team, calling the programme a source of opportunities and real industry change.
The SEC’s global curriculum, tailored with local experts, is on a growth trajectory and in just five years has trained over 4000 participants in Nigeria across its aquaculture, feed milling, poultry, and swine learning tracks.
USSEC is funded by the American soybean farmers and the government.
