The South East Development Commission (SEDC) has announced the Grand Finale of the inaugural South East Venture Capital Program (SEVCP) Pitch Competition, marking a major step in efforts to deepen startup financing and investor participation across South East Nigeria.
Follow us on Google News
The Commission said the initiative is designed to support technology-enabled ventures while building a more structured venture capital ecosystem for the region. The programme is also aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly the administration’s focus on innovative financing mechanisms for startups and local businesses.
According to the SEDC, the SEVCP is one of its flagship programmes aimed at unlocking private capital, strengthening investor confidence, and supporting long-term economic development in the South East.
The Commission said founders, technology practitioners, venture capital firms, development finance institutions, diaspora investors, policymakers, ecosystem partners, and members of the public are expected to participate in the grand finale events scheduled to hold in Enugu State.
Speaking on the programme, Executive Director, Finance and Chairman of the South East Venture Capital Program, Stanley Ohajuruka, said the initiative represents a deliberate move away from fragmented startup support systems towards a more coordinated and credible investment framework for the region.
“The program reflects a deliberate effort to move beyond fragmented interventions towards a more structured and credible venture capital ecosystem for the South East, combining capital deployment with venture development and institutional partnerships,” he said.
SEDC disclosed that since applications opened on 13 March 2026, the programme has attracted more than 1,200 applications from startups and technology-driven ventures operating within the South East market.
According to Ohajuruka, applications were reviewed through a multi-stage merit-based evaluation process covering both the accelerator and incubation tracks of the programme.
Following the screening process, 50 ventures emerged as finalists and are expected to participate in a week-long bootcamp focused on pitch-readiness and investment preparedness ahead of the final presentations.
The pitch competition finale is scheduled for Monday, 25 May 2026, where the selected startups will present before a panel of investors and sector experts. Thirty ventures are expected to emerge across both tracks.
This will be followed by an Investment Ceremony on Tuesday, 26 May 2026, during which selected ventures will receive structured investment commitments and gain admission into a post-investment incubation and acceleration programme.
SEDC said the ceremony will bring together financing partners, senior government officials, institutional investors, corporate organisations, academic institutions, and other stakeholders within Nigeria’s innovation and investment ecosystem.
The Commission noted that the event signals a broader shift towards coordinated, long-term investment in the productive capacity of the South East region, including Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states.
Ohajuruka added that attendance at the event is strictly by registration via www.sedc.gov.ng/programs/sevcp/pitch.
