The Ministry of Education has confirmed 17,914 applications from 402 institutions for the Student Venture Capital Grant (S-VCG), reflecting strong national interest in the new initiative aimed at supporting student-led innovation. The Federal Government introduced the Grant to deepen research excellence, empower student innovators, and strengthen entrepreneurship across tertiary institutions.
The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the Grant represents a bold investment in student creativity, with beneficiaries eligible for up to N50 million in equity-free seed funding. According to him, the programme is designed to support full-time students in federal, state, and private institutions, especially those in STEM and Medical Sciences.
He explained that successful ventures will receive incubation support, mentorship, innovation tools, and access to academic and industry networks. A twelve-member expert panel drawn from academia, industry, and the public sector will evaluate all submissions.
The Ministry noted that thousands of applications have been recorded since the portal opened on 17 November, with submissions scheduled to close on 23 January 2026. Dr Alausa highlighted collaboration with partners such as TETFund, the Bank of Industry, Afara Initiative, Afrilabs, and Google. He said these partnerships will help strengthen the programme’s reach and improve the quality of support offered to students.
Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Saidu Ahmad, described the Grant as a transformative platform that addresses funding gaps in student innovation. She added that an AI-powered evaluation system will assist in screening the large number of applications received so far.
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, commended the programme’s alignment with Nigeria’s development goals, with the Ministry reaffirming its commitment to supporting innovative student ideas across the country.
Students who are yet to apply for this grant can apply Here.
