How Nigerian students can apply for NANS business grant

The National Association of Nigerian Students has commenced the application process for the 2026 edition of its entrepreneurship initiative, NANSInnovate, which provides student entrepreneurs with the chance to vie for funding to expand their businesses.

In a statement released on Monday, NANS National President, Akinteye Babatunde, announced the opening of applications, encouraging Nigerian students with innovative business concepts or existing enterprises to engage in the programme.

The association stated that this initiative aims to discover and assist students operating businesses across universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education throughout Nigeria.

Afeez mentioned that the programme will offer a platform for student entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas to investors, business leaders, and industry specialists.

He remarked, "Our campuses are filled with talented young Nigerians who possess ideas capable of addressing challenges, generating employment, and establishing successful enterprises. Regrettably, many of these concepts remain confined to the classroom due to a lack of opportunities and funding access."

He further stated, "NANSInnovate 2026 is our solution to this issue. We are creating a national platform where innovation will be acknowledged, creativity will be fostered, and promising student entrepreneurs will obtain the necessary support to thrive."

The programme will culminate in a national pitch competition featuring the top 20 finalists, who will compete for cash prizes totaling millions of naira.

Afeez urged eligible students to take advantage of the opportunity, saying, “At the end of the competition, the top 20 student entrepreneurs will go home with cash prizes worth millions of naira to support and expand their businesses.”

Who can apply?

Applicants must be Nigerian citizens currently enrolled in a recognised university, polytechnic or college of education in any of the 36 states or the Federal Capital Territory.

Applicants must also have either an existing business or a business idea they intend to develop.

A valid student identity card is required, while applicants must submit a business proposal in Microsoft Word format.

What documents are required?

Applicants are required to provide:

* A valid student ID card in JPG, PNG or PDF format.
* A business proposal in Microsoft Word (.docx) format.
* A business proposal of not more than 10 pages.
* The proposal must use Times New Roman, size 12 font, with single-line spacing.
* The proposal must not exceed 5MB.

Applicants who have CAC or SMEDAN certificates may also submit them, although the certificates are optional.

How to apply

Students interested in participating are required to visit the NANSInnovate application portal at grants.nanshq.org.

Applicants will be required to provide their personal and school information before entering details about their businesses.

They will then select a business category and indicate whether the venture is an existing business or a new idea.

The available categories are:

* Production/Manufacturing
* Trading/Merchandise
* Services
* Agriculture

Applicants are required to upload their student ID along with their business proposal prior to finalizing the application.

Additionally, they must provide a 100-word pitch that outlines the nature of the business, its significance, and the intended use of the funding.

Upon submission of the application, applicants will be issued a unique entry code, which can be utilized to monitor the status of their application.

NANS has advised applicants to save or take a screenshot of the code for future reference.

Is there a fee for the application?

Indeed. NANS has confirmed that the application process is entirely free and cautioned students against making any payments to individuals in relation to the program.

The association emphasized that any request for payment for entry should be regarded as a scam and reported.

What does NANSInnovate provide?

As stated by NANS, the program will span a week and will encompass educational sessions, networking opportunities, and mentorship.

Participants will have the chance to engage with investors, industry leaders, and fellow student entrepreneurs.

The program will also include personalized mentorship and a national pitch competition where the top 20 finalists will vie for business funding.

NANS indicated that this initiative was established to unite students who are already developing businesses and to offer them avenues for growth and expansion.

Afeez remarked, "On behalf of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) National Headquarters, I extend an invitation to all eligible students to register and participate in this groundbreaking initiative."

“The next great Nigerian business could begin here, and the next successful entrepreneur could be you,” he added.

Students can submit their applications through grants.nanshq.org.