- Alausa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to empowering young Nigerians
- Shortlisted applicants will proceed to a second screening stage, where they will pitch their ideas to a 12-member panel
- Alausa explained that beneficiaries would receive an intensive support package which includes seed funding
The Federal Government has rolled out a major lifeline for student innovators as the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, on Monday launched the Student Venture Capital Grant (S-VCG), a new scheme offering up to ₦50 million equity-free funding for startups founded by Nigerian students.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the initiative, unveiled in Abuja, forms part of President Bola Tinubu’s broader push to expand youth entrepreneurship under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
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Alausa described the S-VCG as a targeted effort to nurture student-led innovations through investment support, mentorship, and structured incubation.
He noted that the programme was designed to help young founders build scalable enterprises capable of competing locally and globally.
Alausa explained that beneficiaries would receive an intensive support package which includes seed funding, mentorship from seasoned industry figures, and visibility within the national innovation ecosystem.
He emphasised that the grant is open to undergraduate students from the 300 level and above, as well as master’s and PhD candidates across federal, state, and private tertiary institutions.
To qualify, applicants must present a CAC-registered business operating within STEMM fields—Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences. He added that the application portal, opened on November 17, 2025, will run until January 23, 2026, giving students ample time to submit competitive proposals.
Shortlisted applicants will proceed to a second screening stage, where they will pitch their ideas to a 12-member panel of experts drawn from Nigeria’s innovation and business ecosystem.
The minister said the programme aims to equip students with the tools to become employers rather than job seekers.
Alausa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to empowering young Nigerians through actionable policies that encourage innovation, productivity, and enterprise development.
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