NANS Innovate 2026: Funding Opportunity for Nigerian Student Entrepreneurs
Introduction
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has opened applications for NANS Innovate 2026, a national entrepreneurship summit designed to discover and support Nigerian students who are building businesses while still in school.
The programme brings student entrepreneurs together with investors, mentors and industry leaders for a week of learning, networking and mentorship. It will culminate in a national pitch competition, where the Top 20 finalists will pitch their businesses and compete for funding to grow their ventures.
The programme is organised by NANS Headquarters under the leadership of Comr. Akinteye Afeez (BABTEE) and is open to Nigerian students across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Benefits
Participants in NANS Innovate 2026 can benefit from:
- Business funding for the strongest business ideas and ventures.
- An opportunity for the Top 20 finalists to pitch on stage for business funding.
- Mentorship and one-on-one guidance from experienced business builders.
- Networking opportunities with investors, industry leaders and other student founders.
- A week of learning, networking and mentorship.
- An opportunity to showcase an existing student-led business or a viable business idea.
- Exposure to a national platform focused on discovering and supporting the next generation of student entrepreneurs.
The official portal states that the funding prizes will be awarded transparently to the strongest business ideas, but it does not currently state a specific funding amount.
Eligibility
To participate in NANS Innovate 2026, applicants must meet the requirements below:
- Be a Nigerian citizen from any of Nigeria’s 36 states or the FCT.
- Be a currently enrolled Nigerian student at a recognised:
- University
- Polytechnic
- College of Education
- Have either an existing business/venture or a solid business idea they want to launch.
- Have a valid, current school ID card. The official portal accepts the ID in JPG, PNG or PDF format.
- Submit a business proposal in Microsoft Word (.docx) format, with a maximum length of 10 pages.
- Participation is completely free. NANS states that applicants should not pay anyone to participate.
The accepted business categories are:
- Production/Manufacturing
- Trading/Merchandise
- Service
- Agriculture
Business Proposal Requirements
The business proposal must:
- Be submitted in Microsoft Word (.docx) format.
- Not exceed 10 pages.
- Use Times New Roman, font size 12.
- Use single-line spacing.
- Be no larger than 5MB.
The flyer additionally states that applicants must already be running an existing and registered business, with evidence of registration through CAC or SMEDAN obtained at least four months before the application date.
However, the current official NANS Innovate portal states that applicants may enter with either an existing venture or a business idea, and lists CAC/SMEDAN certification as an optional document if available. Applicants should therefore follow the current requirements displayed on the official application portal when submitting.
Deadline
According to the official NANS Innovate 2026 flyer, applications are open from:
10 August to 8 September 2026.
Application Deadline: 8 September 2026
The official portal currently shows that entries are open. It also warns that NANS does not charge any fee at any stage and that anyone requesting payment should be treated as a scam and reported.
How to Apply
Interested students should apply through the official NANS Innovate 2026 online portal.
The current application process consists of five main steps:
- Prepare your documents
Have the following ready:
- Current school ID card in JPG, PNG or PDF format.
- Business proposal in .docx format.
- CAC or SMEDAN certificate, if applicable.
The portal states that the school ID should be no more than 2MB, while the business proposal must be no more than 5MB.
- Complete the entry form
Provide your:
- Personal details
- School information
- Business information
You will also select your business category and indicate whether the business is new or existing.
- Upload your documents
Upload the required files through the application portal. The portal accepts:
- JPG, PNG or PDF for school IDs.
- .docx for the business proposal.
- Write a 100-word pitch
Applicants must provide a short and honest 100-word pitch explaining:
- What the business is.
- Why it matters.
- What they will do with the funding.
- Submit and save your registration code
After submission, applicants will receive a registration code similar to NANS-Inv-2026-K7T.
Applicants should save or screenshot this code, as it will be required to check their application status later.
After entries close, NANS will review the submissions and shortlist the Top 20 finalists for the national pitch competition. The finalists will pitch their businesses, after which winners will receive funding.
Applicants can later check their application status through the official portal using their registration code.
For enquiries, NANS provides the email address grants@nanshq.org.
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NANS Innovate 2026 gives Nigerian student entrepreneurs an opportunity to receive business funding, mentorship, networking and national exposure while developing their ventures.
Application Link
