The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially opened the application portal for the Student Venture Capital Grant (S‑VCG), a national initiative aimed at funding student-led ventures with up to N50 million in equity-free grants.
The initiative targets student innovators across 37 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to ensure broad participation and nationwide impact.
The grant specifically targets students whose ventures align with STEMM fields, including:
S‑VCG operates as a national platform for funding, validation, and visibility, designed to help student ventures grow from idea to market-ready businesses. Interested students can apply through the official application portal at https://svcg.education.gov.ng.
1. Submit your business
Students or teams upload their business details, pitch video, and funding request through the official S‑VCG application portal.
2. Get reviewed & receive feedback
Applications go through multiple review rounds. Projects that are not immediately selected still receive structured feedback and remain visible in the platform’s Innovation Repository for potential future opportunities.
3. Validate& refine your solution
Shortlisted teams enter a structured validation process, refining their solutions, strengthening their business models, and preparing for milestone-based funding activation.
4. Receive milestone-based funding
Approved teams unlock funding in tranches as they achieve specific milestones, with progress tracked transparently through the S‑VCG system during the incubation period
Early applicants will also receive a free one-year Google Gemini Pro & Advanced license, giving them access to cutting-edge AI tools to enhance their ventures.
To participate, students must first create an account on the official portal. The process begins by entering basic personal information, including first and last name, email address, mobile number, and National Identification Number (NIN). Once submitted, a 4-digit OTP will be sent to the provided email to verify your account.
It is open to students currently enrolled in Nigerian tertiary institutions, including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. Both students from public and private institutions are eligible to apply.