The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Youth Development, has introduced the Student Venture Capital Grant, an initiative designed to provide up to N50 million in equity-free funding for student-led business ideas across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

The programme is aimed at strengthening research, innovation, and entrepreneurship among young Nigerians, while transforming university campuses into vibrant innovation hubs capable of producing market-ready solutions.

The initiative has already attracted massive interest, recording 17,914 applications from 402 institutions. Shortlisted teams are expected to pitch their ideas before a 12-member expert panel. Education stakeholders, development partners, and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) have commended the scheme, describing it as a major boost to youth empowerment under the Renewed Hope Agenda.