Federal Government has shortlisted 65 student innovators from 30,639 applicants across 404 tertiary institutions for the final stage of the Student Venture Capital Grant (S-VCG).
The initiative, a flagship programme of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, aims to accelerate high-impact student-led ventures and strengthen Nigeria’s innovation-driven economy.
Announcing the development, the Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa, described the programme as a strategic investment in the next generation of innovators and job creators. He said the outcome reflects the growing creativity and entrepreneurial capacity of Nigerian students.
Alausa noted that the shortlisted candidates represent a broad range of scalable solutions across sectors critical to national development, highlighting the depth of innovation within the country’s university system.
The Student Venture Capital Grant, launched in December 2025 in partnership with the Bank of Industry, offers up to N50 million in equity-free funding to support student-led ventures that have reached the commercialisation stage.
According to the ministry, the selection of the finalists followed a rigorous multi-stage evaluation process, including AI-enabled screening to assess eligibility and alignment with programme objectives, as well as independent human validation to ensure fairness.
The ministry said the initiative underscores its commitment to promoting innovation, supporting student entrepreneurship and developing scalable ventures capable of driving economic growth.
RN
