Federal Ministry of Education Opens Applications for 2026 Student Venture Capital Grant (S-VCG)

The Federal Ministry of Education, through the Office of the Honourable Minister, has officially announced the opening of applications for the 2026 Cohort of the Student Venture Capital Grant (S-VCG).
The initiative is designed to support student-driven innovation, entrepreneurship, research, and the commercialization of solutions addressing real-world challenges across Nigerian tertiary institutions.

Program Overview & Grant Details
Target Audience: Open to students across public and private Nigerian tertiary institutions who have innovative business ventures, research, or projects with growth potential.

Funding Model: Provides successful student innovators with equity-free seed funding and additional program support to scale their projects.

Alignment: Aligns with the Federal Government's Renewed Hope Agenda for the education sector by driving youth-led economic development.

Track Record (2025 Inaugural Cohort)
The ministry highlighted the success of the inaugural 2025 cohort, which recorded:
Over 17,240 student applicants across 404 tertiary institutions nationwide.
45 student beneficiaries selected following a competitive screening process.
A total of ₦50 million in equity-free grant funding disbursed to help beneficiaries scale their ventures.

How to Apply
In an official circular signed by the National Coordinator of Special Programs, Mr. Adebayo Onigbanjo, institutions have been requested to sensitize eligible students to take advantage of the opportunity.
Official Portal: Complete guidelines, eligibility criteria, and the application portal are accessible online at https://svcg.education.gov.ng/.

Team Honorable Updates encourages all eligible student entrepreneurs to submit their applications promptly!