The Federal Government has opened a new funding window under its Student Venture Capital Grant (S-VCG) programme, with up to N2.5 billion earmarked for 50 student-led innovative ventures.
Under the initiative, each selected venture can receive up to N50 million in equity-free funding to develop and scale its business.
The programme, implemented by the Federal Ministry of Education, is designed to help students transform research, inventions and technology-driven ideas into commercially viable enterprises.
The S-VCG focuses particularly on innovations in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medical Sciences (STEMM).
Beyond financial support, the programme provides beneficiaries with access to incubation, mentorship, enterprise-development support and other resources intended to help them move from innovation to commercialisation.
The government says the initiative is part of efforts to reposition Nigeria’s tertiary institutions as centres of innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development.
The current S-VCG platform indicates that applicants are required to submit their business details, pitch materials and funding requests for review, while qualified projects can also receive visibility through the programme’s national innovation repository.
The government launched the S-VCG in 2025 as a major intervention aimed at addressing the funding gap faced by student entrepreneurs and helping promising campus innovations reach the market.
The initiative has already progressed through earlier stages, with the Federal Government awarding grants to student-led ventures in 2026. In March, 45 student teams received a combined N2.2 billion under the programme.
With the latest funding window, the government is seeking to deepen support for young innovators and strengthen the pipeline of student-founded businesses capable of contributing to job creation and Nigeria’s technology-driven economy.
