NANSInnovate 2026: How Nigerian Students Can Apply for Business Funding
Nigerian students with business ideas or existing businesses can now apply for the 2026 NANSInnovate entrepreneurship programme, an initiative of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) designed to support student entrepreneurs across the country.
The programme will give participating students an opportunity to present their businesses or ideas to investors, industry experts and business leaders, with the top 20 finalists progressing to a national pitch competition for cash prizes worth millions of naira.
NANS said the initiative is aimed at identifying promising student entrepreneurs and providing them with opportunities to develop, expand and improve their businesses.
What is NANSInnovate 2026?
NANSInnovate 2026 is an entrepreneurship programme created by the National Association of Nigerian Students to support students who are already running businesses or have viable business ideas.
The programme will feature learning sessions, networking opportunities, mentorship and a national pitch competition.
According to NANS, the initiative is intended to help address one of the major challenges facing young entrepreneurs: limited access to funding and business opportunities.
The programme will culminate in a competition involving the top 20 student entrepreneurs, who will compete for cash prizes worth millions of naira.
Who can apply for the NANS business grant?
The NANSInnovate application is open to Nigerian citizens who are currently enrolled in a recognised:
- University
- Polytechnic
- College of Education
Students from institutions located in any of Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory can apply.
Applicants must also have either:
- An existing business they are currently operating; or
- A business idea they intend to develop.
A valid student identity card is required as part of the application.
What documents are required?
Students should prepare the required documents before starting the application.
The application requires:
- A valid student identity card.
- A business proposal in Microsoft Word format.
- A business proposal of no more than 10 pages.
The business proposal must:
- Be prepared in Microsoft Word (.docx).
- Use Times New Roman font.
- Use font size 12.
- Have single-line spacing.
- Not exceed 5MB.
Students who already have CAC or SMEDAN certificates may also submit them, although these documents are optional.
What business categories are eligible?
Applicants will be required to select the category that best describes their venture.
The available categories are:
1. Production/Manufacturing
Businesses involved in producing or manufacturing goods can apply under this category.
Also Read: ECOWAS $65,000 Startup Awards 2026: How to Apply
2. Trading/Merchandise
This category covers businesses involved in buying and selling products.
3. Services
Students operating service-based businesses can select this category.
4. Agriculture
Agriculture-related businesses and ideas can apply under the agriculture category.
Applicants will also indicate whether they are submitting an existing business or a new business idea.
How to apply for NANSInnovate 2026
Students interested in the programme can apply through the official NANSInnovate application portal:
grants.nanshq.org
Applicants will first provide their personal and school information before entering details about their business.
The application process requires students to:
- Visit the NANSInnovate application portal.
- Enter their personal information.
- Provide their school details.
- Select a business category.
- Indicate whether the venture is an existing business or a new idea.
- Upload a valid student ID.
- Upload the required business proposal.
- Submit a 100-word business pitch.
- Complete the application.
The 100-word pitch should explain what the business does, why the business matters and how the applicant intends to use the funding.
After submitting the application, applicants will receive a unique entry code.
Students should save or screenshot this code because it can be used to check the status of their application.
Is the NANSInnovate application free?
Yes. The application is free.
NANS has warned applicants not to pay anyone in connection with the programme.
Students should be cautious of individuals who request money in exchange for registration, selection or access to the funding.
According to NANS, anyone demanding payment for entry into the programme should be treated as a potential scam and reported.
What does NANSInnovate offer students?
The programme is expected to run for one week and will provide participants with opportunities for:
- Entrepreneurship training
- Learning sessions
- Mentorship
- Networking
- Interaction with investors
- Access to business leaders
- Interaction with other student entrepreneurs
- National pitching opportunities
The top 20 finalists will proceed to the national pitch competition, where they will compete for cash prizes worth millions of naira.
Why students should apply
For students already running businesses, NANSInnovate provides an opportunity to gain visibility and potentially access funding to expand their ventures.
Students with business ideas can also use the programme to expose their concepts to experienced entrepreneurs, investors and industry professionals.
Beyond the possibility of winning funding, the mentorship, networking and learning opportunities could help participants improve their business knowledge and develop stronger entrepreneurial skills.
Important things to remember before applying
Before submitting an application, students should ensure that:
- Their student ID is valid and readable.
- Their business proposal is in Microsoft Word format.
- The proposal does not exceed 10 pages.
- The proposal uses Times New Roman, size 12.
- The proposal uses single-line spacing.
- The proposal is below the 5MB size limit.
- Their 100-word pitch clearly explains the business.
- They save their application entry code after submission.
- They do not pay anyone claiming to represent the programme.
Eligible students should use the official application portal and avoid unofficial websites or individuals requesting payment.
NANSInnovate 2026 application portal
Students interested in participating can submit their applications through the NANSInnovate portal at grants.nanshq.org.
Applicants should ensure that their information and uploaded documents are accurate before completing the submission.
