NANS business grant portal opens for Nigerian students with ideas or ventures, offering funding, mentorship and a national pitch competition

The National Association of Nigerian Students, led by National President Akinteye Afeez, has opened applications for NANSInnovate 2026, a national entrepreneurship programme designed to support Nigerian students with businesses and promising business ideas.

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The programme is open to Nigerian citizens currently enrolled in recognised universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Applicants can enter with either an existing business or a new business idea.

According to NANS, the initiative will bring student entrepreneurs together with investors, mentors and industry leaders before culminating in a national pitch competition involving the top 20 finalists.

Akinteye described the initiative as an opportunity to give promising student entrepreneurs practical support and access to funding.

For students interested in applying, the process is straightforward, but applicants are required to prepare their documents before beginning.

Step 1: Visit the NANSInnovate application portal

Students should first visit the official NANSInnovate application portal at grants.nanshq.org and select the option to submit an entry.

The official portal states that applicants must be currently enrolled Nigerian tertiary students and that applications are completely free.

Step 2: Enter personal and school information

Applicants are required to provide their full name, active WhatsApp number, email address and other personal details.

They must then enter their school information, including the name of their institution, academic level, matriculation number and course of study.

The portal specifically asks applicants to provide an active WhatsApp number because NANS says it will use the number to contact applicants.

Step 3: Provide business details

Applicants must enter information about the business they are submitting for consideration.

The form asks for the business name, line of business, business status, state of origin and, where applicable, years of operation, location and staff strength.

Applicants must also indicate whether the venture is a new idea or an existing business.

The business must fall under one of four categories: Production/Manufacturing, Trading/Merchandise, Service or Agriculture.

Step 4: Prepare and upload the required documents

Applicants must upload a valid school identity card in JPG, PNG or PDF format.

A business proposal is also compulsory. The proposal must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document, must not exceed 10 pages or 5MB, and must use Times New Roman, size 12, with single-line spacing.

Applicants who have CAC or SMEDAN registration certificates may upload them as supporting documents, although the certificates are optional.

Step 5: Write the 100-word pitch

Applicants must explain their business in no more than 100 words.

The pitch should make clear why the business deserves to be selected and what the applicant intends to achieve with the funding.

NANS says the pitch forms part of the assessment process, making it important for applicants to keep their submission clear, specific and convincing.

Step 6: Confirm the information and submit

Before submitting, applicants must confirm that the information supplied is accurate and that they are currently enrolled at a Nigerian tertiary institution.

The portal also includes a security check before the final submission.

Applicants should carefully review their information because the official application page warns that entries cannot be edited after submission.

Step 7: Save the registration code

After a successful submission, applicants receive a unique registration code.

NANS advises applicants to save or screenshot the code because it will be required to check the status of an application.

Applicants can later visit the status page and enter the registration code to check their entry.

The application itself does not require payment. NANS has warned students against anyone requesting money in exchange for entry, stating that the programme is free and that payment requests should be treated as a scam.

Following the application stage, NANS says entries will be reviewed and the top 20 applicants will proceed to the national pitch competition, where finalists will compete for business funding.

The programme is also expected to provide learning sessions, mentorship and networking opportunities involving investors, business leaders and industry experts.

NANSInnovate 2026 therefore goes beyond a conventional funding application by combining the competition with business exposure and mentorship.

For students already building ventures while studying, the programme could provide a valuable opportunity to strengthen their businesses and gain access to potential investors.

Students interested in participating should ensure that their school ID, business proposal and other required information are ready before beginning the application.

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Applications are currently being received through the official NANSInnovate portal.