Student Venture Capital Grant 2026: Eligibility & How to Apply

Are you a Nigerian student who is passionate about innovation or currently innovating something that can change the business, technology, and engineering sectors, but are you limited by funds? Then you should not miss out on the FG Student Venture Capital Grant.

The Federal Government Student Venture Capital Grant is a grant that is usually awarded to Nigerian students who are innovators but who do not have the funds for such innovation.

Believe me, the Federal Government Student Venture is real, and there are testimonials and evidence of beneficiaries who have received the grant, and this grant definitely goes a long way in developing innovation.

Want to apply for this grant? Get to understand the grant details, including the requirements, loan amount, and who is eligible for this grant.

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Student Venture Capital Grant Amount

Compared to other federal government grants, the grant is a massive amount. The grant, based on your business plan and idea, can be up to ₦50 million, which is the maximum a single beneficiary can be awarded, meaning some beneficiaries can get less than ₦50 million.

It should be noted that this is a grant, and it is a non-refundable grant, unlike a loan, which the beneficiaries are expected to pay back, but for this you are not expected to pay it back, making it more competitive than a loan, which is mandated for you to pay back.

Who Can Apply for the Student Venture Capital Grant?

All students in Nigerian higher learning institutions, including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, can apply regardless, and it does not matter whether they are students at private or public higher learning institutions, but such a student must be at least at the 300 level or must be in a team that is under the supervision of a 300-level or above student.

Eligible Businesses and Startup Ideas

The submitted innovation and project must fall under STEMMS, that is, projects or businesses that fall under STEMMS—that’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences—and such projects must be physical and not be based just on paper.

Federal Government Student Venture Capital Grant Requirements and Eligibility

• Applicants must be students currently enrolled in a Nigerian tertiary institution, including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.

• Students from both public and private tertiary institutions are eligible to apply.

• The lead applicant must be at least a 300-level or its equivalent at their institution.

• Students below 300 level can participate, but they must join a team led by a student who is 300 level or above.

• For teams involving lower-level students, the 300-level-or-above student must be included in the company or project as a co-founder or partner.

• Applicants can apply individually or as a team, provided they meet the eligibility requirements.

• The project or innovation must have a business name or company registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in Nigeria.

• Applicants must have a clear business plan that includes expenditure milestones and key performance indicators (KPIs).

• Eligible ideas, projects, solutions, or businesses must fall under STEMMS—Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences.

• The project or business must be beyond the proof-of-concept stage.

• Applicants cannot submit only an undeveloped idea or basic prototype. The project must be sufficiently developed to demonstrate real-world potential.

How to Apply for the Student Venture Capital Grant

• Visit the official Student Venture Capital Grant (S-VCG) application portal at https://svcg.education.gov.ng/

• Submit your business by uploading your business details, pitch video, and funding request through the S-VCG application portal.

• After submission, your application will go through multiple review rounds.

• Applicants will receive structured feedback on their submissions. Even projects that are not selected may receive feedback and remain visible in the Innovation Repository.

• Shortlisted teams will undergo a structured validation process to refine their solutions, strengthen their business models, and prepare for milestone activation.

• Successful teams will receive milestone-based funding.

• Funding will be released in tranches after the approved team reaches specific milestones.

• The milestones and progress will be tracked transparently through the S-VCG system and incubation period.