The scheme was unveiled in Abuja by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, as part of a wider push to strengthen entrepreneurship and innovation within Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. According to the government, the goal is to identify and support high-potential ventures emerging from campuses, encourage problem-solving through research and creativity, and help students build scalable solutions that can compete locally and globally.
The application window opened on November 17, 2025, and is expected to run until January 23, 2026. Government officials say interest has been strong so far, with tens of thousands of applications already recorded within the early phase of the rollout.
Eligibility is expected to cover full-time 300-level students and above across federal, state and private tertiary institutions. The government also says the programme is open to Master’s and PhD students, widening access beyond undergraduates.
The initiative is primarily focused on STEMM-related fields—science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medical sciences—suggesting an emphasis on innovations that can drive national development and economic transformation.
Beyond the funding itself, the grant is positioned as part of a broader innovation ecosystem. The application and review process is expected to include structured evaluation, and the programme is also being linked to mentorship and incubation support to help viable ideas move from concept to execution.
For many students, this grant could help close a major gap that has long limited campus entrepreneurship in Nigeria: the lack of early-stage funding that does not require repayment or equity surrender.
If implemented with transparency and strong follow-through, the Student Venture Capital Grant could become one of Nigeria’s most meaningful efforts in recent years to turn student creativity into real businesses, create jobs, and build long-term value from innovation within higher education.
