The Federal Government has launched the Student Venture Capital Grant, a major national initiative designed to deepen research excellence, empower student innovators, and strengthen entrepreneurship across tertiary institutions.
The launch in Abuja underscores President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and signals a shift toward an innovation-driven education system.
The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, described the Grant as a bold investment in student creativity, offering up to fifty million naira in equity-free seed funding for student-led ventures with potential for global scale.
Beneficiaries will receive incubation, mentorship, innovation tools, and access to academic and industry networks.
The programme is open to full-time students across federal, state, and private institutions, particularly in STEM and Medical Sciences. Ventures will be evaluated by a twelve-member expert panel from academia, industry, and the public sector.
He reported thousands of applications since the portal opened on 17 November, with submissions closing on 23 January 2026. Partners include TETFund, the Bank of Industry, Afara Initiative, Afrilabs and Google.
The Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Saidu Ahmad, described the Grant as a transformative platform addressing funding gaps in student innovation, supported by an AI-powered evaluation system.
National stakeholders—including the Minister of Agriculture, the House Committee on University Education, the Special Adviser to the President, and former Minister of Power, Professor Barth Nnaji—praised the programme’s alignment with national development goals.
The Ministry confirmed 17,914 applications from 402 institutions and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting innovative ideas and building systems that strengthen student capabilities nationwide.
Boriowo Folasade
Director, Press and Public Relations
