Nigerian students running businesses or nursing entrepreneurial ideas now have an opportunity to secure funding as the National Association of Nigerian Students opens applications for the 2026 edition of its NANSInnovate entrepreneurship programme.
Key Highlights:
- NANS opens applications for the 2026 NANSInnovate entrepreneurship programme.
- The initiative is open to Nigerian students across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in all 36 states and the FCT.
- Existing businesses and viable business ideas are both eligible.
- The programme targets student entrepreneurs struggling with limited access to funding and business opportunities.
- Top 20 finalists will compete in a national pitch competition.
The initiative is targeting student entrepreneurs across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Announcing the programme, NANS National President, Akinteye Babatunde, said the initiative is created to address one of the biggest challenges facing young entrepreneurs, which is limited access to funding and opportunities to turn promising ideas into sustainable businesses.
According to NANS, the programme will culminate in a national pitch competition where the top 20 finalists will compete for cash prizes worth millions of naira to develop or expand their businesses.
The association said participants will also benefit from learning sessions, mentorship, networking opportunities and interactions with investors, business leaders and industry experts.
The programme is open to Nigerian students who are currently enrolled in recognised universities, polytechnics or colleges of education.
Applicants do not necessarily need to have an established company. Students with viable business ideas they intend to develop are also eligible to participate.
Those applying must provide a valid student identity card and submit a business proposal in Microsoft Word format. The proposal must not exceed 10 pages, use times new Roman font at size 12, have single-line spacing and remain below the 5MB file limit.
Students who have Corporate Affairs Commission or SMEDAN certificates can submit them as supporting documents, although NANS said the certificates are not compulsory.
The programme is open to businesses and ideas in four major categories: production and manufacturing, trading and merchandise, services, and agriculture.
Beyond the written proposal, applicants will also be required to submit a 100-word pitch explaining their business, the problem it seeks to solve and how the funding would be used.
After completing the application, each applicant will receive a unique entry code. NANS advised participants to save or screenshot the code because it will be required to track the application.
Importantly, the association said students do not need to pay to participate.
NANS warned applicants against individuals demanding money in exchange for registration or access to the programme, stressing that the application is completely free.
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The application process is being conducted online through the NANSInnovate portal at grants.nanshq.org.
For thousands of Nigerian students already selling products, providing services or developing business ideas from their campuses, the programme could provide more than just cash prizes.
It offers an opportunity to put their ventures before potential investors, gain mentorship and acquire the exposure needed to move from small-scale campus businesses to more structured enterprises.
With the top 20 finalists set to compete at the national level, NANSInnovate 2026 could also become a platform for identifying some of the country’s next generation of young entrepreneurs.
NANS has therefore urged eligible students not to overlook the opportunity, particularly those who have viable ideas but have struggled to secure the capital needed to get started or expand.
