The Federal Government will on Sunday announce beneficiaries of the Student Venture Capital Grant (S-VCG), with 65 student innovators set to receive funding support at an awards ceremony in Lagos.
The beneficiaries, shortlisted from 30,639 applicants across 404 tertiary institutions, emerged after a rigorous selection process and are now at the final stage of the programme organised by the Federal Ministry of Education.
The award event, scheduled for March 29, 2026, will hold between 2pm and 4pm at the UNDP Innovation Hub on Alfred Rewane Road, Lagos, where successful student entrepreneurs will be unveiled.
The S-VCG, a flagship initiative under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, is designed to support student-led ventures with up to ₦50 million in equity-free funding, particularly those at the commercialisation stage.
Ahead of the announcement, the finalists are undergoing a four-day venture development bootcamp from March 26 to March 29, where they are participating in pitch sessions, venture development workshops, and live evaluations by experts.
Findings show that the final beneficiaries will be selected based on application scores, performance during the bootcamp, and deliberations by a multi-sectoral evaluation committee.
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Olatunji Alausa, described the initiative as a strategic investment in young innovators, noting that the quality of ideas presented by the finalists reflects Nigeria’s growing innovation capacity.
According to the ministry, the programme is aimed at accelerating high-impact student ventures, supporting scalable solutions across key sectors, and stimulating job creation through entrepreneurship.
The event will be broadcast live on Channels Television and Arise Television.
