The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has opened applications for the 2026 edition of its entrepreneurship initiative, NANSInnovate, giving Nigerian student entrepreneurs an opportunity to showcase their businesses and compete for funding.
The programme is aimed at students who already run businesses as well as those with business ideas they want to develop. According to NANS, the initiative will support student entrepreneurs across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in Nigeria.
NANS National President, Akinteye Babatunde, announced the opening of applications in a statement on Monday.
The programme is expected to give participating students an opportunity to present their ideas to investors, business leaders and industry experts.
Afeez said, “Across our campuses are brilliant young Nigerians with ideas that can solve problems, create jobs and build successful businesses. Unfortunately, many of these ideas never go beyond the classroom because of limited opportunities and access to funding.”
He added, “NANSInnovate 2026 is our response to that challenge. We are providing a national platform where innovation will be rewarded, creativity will be encouraged and promising student entrepreneurs will receive the support they need to grow.”
The initiative will end with a national pitch competition involving the top 20 finalists, who will compete for cash prizes worth millions of naira.
Afeez urged qualified students to apply for the programme, 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 for NANSInnovate 2026?
The programme is open to Nigerian citizens who are currently enrolled in a recognised university, polytechnic or college of education in any of Nigeria’s 36 states or the Federal Capital Territory.
Applicants must have either an existing business or a business idea they intend to develop.
Students will also need a valid student identity card and must prepare a business proposal in Microsoft Word format.
Documents Needed For The NANS Business Grant Application
Applicants are expected to submit the following:
- A valid student ID card in JPG, PNG or PDF format.
- A business proposal in Microsoft Word (.docx) format.
- A proposal of not more than 10 pages.
- Times New Roman font, size 12.
- Single-line spacing.
- A file size not exceeding 5MB.
CAC or SMEDAN certificates may also be submitted, although NANS says these documents are optional.
How To Apply For NANSInnovate 2026
Interested students are required to visit the NANSInnovate application portal at grants.nanshq.org.
Applicants will first provide their personal and school information before entering details about their business.
They will then select the category that best describes their venture and indicate whether they are applying with an existing business or a new business idea.
The available categories are:
- Production/Manufacturing
- Trading/Merchandise
- Services
- Agriculture
Students must upload their valid student ID and business proposal before submitting the application.
Applicants will also be asked to provide a 100-word pitch explaining their business, why the idea is important and how they plan to use the funding.
Once an application has been submitted, the applicant will receive a unique entry code that can be used to track the application.
NANS advised applicants to save or screenshot the code for future reference.
Is The NANSInnovate Application Free?
Yes. The application is free.
NANS warned students not to make payments to anyone in connection with the programme. According to the association, anyone demanding money for entry into NANSInnovate should be treated as a potential scam and reported.
What Does NANSInnovate 2026 Offer?
According to NANS, the programme will run for one week and feature learning sessions, networking opportunities and mentorship for participating student entrepreneurs.
Participants will have opportunities to connect with investors, industry leaders and other young entrepreneurs.
The programme will also include one-on-one mentorship and a national pitch competition, where the top 20 finalists will compete for business funding.
NANS said the initiative is intended to support students who are already building businesses while giving them access to opportunities that can help them develop and expand their ventures.
Afeez said, “On behalf of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) National Headquarters, I invite every eligible student to register and be part of this historic initiative.”
“The next great Nigerian business could begin here, and the next successful entrepreneur could be you,” he added.
Students interested in the programme can submit their applications through grants.nanshq.org.
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