Durian

What Durian does

Durian Foundation is a Nigeria-based non-profit rural development organization founded in 2016 by Tony Joy and headquartered at the Durian Crafts Village in Imafon, Akure North, Ondo State. The organization operates through a dual-hub model consisting of the Crafts Village — a circular economy production hub with four departments (Skin Care, Garri processing, Textile, and Bamboo) that converts agricultural waste and local materials into high-value products — and the Farm Village, a regenerative integrated agriculture site focused on crop farming, livestock, and value addition with zero-waste principles. Durian runs multiple programs targeting rural women (Itaja Women Fellowship), rural youth aged 18–30 (Rural Green Fellowship with alumni across Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Ghana), rural farmers (regenerative agriculture training across 5 communities), and rural secondary school students (Tech4School digital literacy and the Rural is Cool Football Tournament). Its technology layer includes Dunni by Durian, an AI-powered agricultural extension platform delivered via WhatsApp, SMS, and voice in local languages, designed as a low-bandwidth solution for rural farmer knowledge access. The organization also runs an annual Rural is Cool Conference convening traditional leaders, NGOs, government, business leaders, and rural youth.

Durian's revenue model is non-profit and multi-stream: donations via its website form the primary funding base; corporate sponsorships (notably Azurit Foundation as lead sponsor of the Rural is Cool Football Tournament, alongside Aluminium Nig Trust, Geofas Water, Springboard Nigeria, and Frikana HTC) fund event programming; revolving grants to women entrepreneurs are processed through a partnership with OFEM Micro Credit Bank; and direct craft and agricultural product sales (Garri, flour, cocoa, bamboo home décor, fabric accessories, natural skincare) occur via WhatsApp ordering and on-site purchases during farm and craft village tours. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, leveraging grassroots engagement with traditional leaders (including HRH Oba Samuel O, King of Imafon), door-to-door mobilization, radio partnerships (Crest FM 106.1), and the annual conference and football tournament as demand generation and partnership platforms. The organization cites reach across 19 communities with 50+ artisans, 50+ farmers, 60+ students, and 50+ Rural Green Fellowship graduates; over 70% of program beneficiaries are women. No revenue, funding total, or headcount figures are publicly disclosed.

Name

Durian

Legal name

Durian Foundation

Website

https://durian.org.ng

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Development Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Crop Production (11511), Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating (115112)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG), Nutrient Management Planning & Fertility Programs (AFACABAB)

Keywords

• Rural development
• Vocational training
• Circular economy crafts
• Regenerative agriculture
• Women empowerment

Headquarters

HQ city

Akure

HQ country

Nigeria

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Primary funding source through the Donate page (https://www.durian.org.ng/donate/). Individual and corporate donors support programs including the Rural Green Fellowship and women empowerment initiatives.
2. Craft and Agricultural Product Sales: Direct sales of processed goods including Garri, flour, cocoa, bamboo home décor, fabric accessories, and natural skincare products. Products available via WhatsApp ordering and on-site purchases during farm tours.
3. Grant Programs for Women and Farmers: The Itaja Project provides revolving grants to rural women entrepreneurs who complete business training. Partnership with OFEM Micro Credit Bank facilitates the grant disbursement process.
4. Event Sponsorships and Partnerships: Corporate sponsors (Azurit Foundation, Aluminium Nig Trust, Geofas Water, Springboard Nigeria, Frikana HTC) fund the Rural is Cool Football Tournament in exchange for visibility as champions of rural transformation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Durian Foundation runs rural development programs that deliver vocational training, regenerative agriculture support, and women's entrepreneurship grants through two physical hubs (Crafts Village and Farm Village) and multiple community-based programs. It also sells circular-economy crafts and farm-direct products (Garri, flour, cocoa, bamboo décor, skincare) and operates the proprietary Dunni by Durian AI agricultural extension platform for rural farmers.

Product overview

Durian operates as a rural development organization with two interconnected hub centers — the Crafts Village (circular economy production) and Farm Village (regenerative agriculture) — supported by multiple programs including the Itaja Women Fellowship (business training and grants), Rural Green Fellowship (youth incubation), Tech4School (digital literacy), Rural is Cool Football Tournament (sports for development), and Rural is Cool Conference (annual convening). Technology offerings include Dunni by Durian, an AI-powered agricultural extension platform. The organization focuses on empowering rural women and youth through enterprise, culture, and innovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Durian Crafts Village Circular-economy production hub in Imafon with four departments (Skin Care, Garri Processing, Textile/Bamboo) that transforms local waste materials into high-value crafts and products. Houses hands-on training workshops in bamboo processing, skincare production, textile craft, and garri processing, plus direct sales of craft items and farm-direct products.
• Durian Farm Village Regenerative integrated agriculture hub focused on crop farming, livestock (pig and poultry), and value addition (Garri, pupuru). Provides land access, financial literacy, technical training, and market linkages for rural women farmers. Hosts guided tours for individuals, schools, NGOs, corporates, and government agencies.
• Itaja Women Fellowship Monthly one-week immersive training program for rural women entrepreneurs covering bookkeeping, sales, marketing, and business pitching, followed by revolving grant disbursement. Implemented in partnership with OFEM Micro Credit Bank. Targets women in rural Nigerian communities excluded from traditional economic systems.
• Rural Green Fellowship 3-month high-impact incubation program turning young people (18-30) into architects of the new rural economy through online learning, a 2-week farm village residency, and field implementation phases. Curriculum covers design thinking, systemic rural development, regenerative agriculture, circular economy, agro-processing, storytelling, M&E, and program design.
• Rural Is Cool Football Tournament

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 70% of program beneficiaries are women with female leadership focus in crafts, cooperatives, and community governance
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Crest FM 106.1minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 November 2023Radio partnership providing live coverage, tournament updates, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content. Station became a movement partner, bringing Rural Is Cool spirit to every corner of the region.
• Akure South Football AssociationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 11 November 2023Ensuring structure, credibility, and sporting excellence for the Rural Is Cool Tournament. Provides organizational framework and football governance oversight.
• Springboard NigeriaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 November 2023Sponsor amplifying innovation and entrepreneurship through the tournament platform. Partner supporting youth talent discovery and development opportunities.
• Red Cross AkureminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 11 November 2023Ensuring health and safety throughout the tournament duration. Provides first aid and emergency response coverage for 64 matches over 14 days.
• HAVEN (Haven Lantern)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolar lamp support campaign partnership providing solar lamps to vulnerable rural households facing insecurity and poor energy access. Addresses the intersection of rural safety, energy access, and women's protection in farming communities.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DurianNigeria
• YouTubeyoutube.com/DurianNigeria
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/durian-nigeria
• Instagraminstagram.com/DurianNigeria
• Facebookfacebook.com/DurianNigeria

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Durian