Otamere Gladness 
Education Minister, Dr. Tunji Alausa
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Federal Government has launched a new ₦50 million Student Venture Capital Grant (SVCG), aimed at helping young innovators turn campus-based ideas into globally competitive enterprises.
Announced on Monday through the Ministry of Education’s verified X handle, the scheme is described as a “direct intervention to empower student innovators with substantial funding, expert mentorship and access to global networks.”
According to the Ministry, student founders—particularly those building scalable STEM-based solutions—stand a chance of securing up to ₦50 million in equity-free funding.
To encourage early participation, the government announced an exclusive incentive for early applicants: a free one-year subscription to Google Gemini Pro. Officials urged students to “apply early to enjoy this exclusive benefit.”
Applications opened on Monday via the official portal, svceducation.gov.ng, and are available to both undergraduate and postgraduate innovators across public and private institutions.
The Ministry said the initiative represents the most ambitious national effort yet to fund student entrepreneurship. “Your idea. Your team. Up to ₦50 million to make it happen,” the statement read.
Excitement has spread across campuses nationwide, with students praising the programme as a transformational opportunity that addresses long-standing funding challenges. Innovation clubs in several universities say the grant will spark a new era of student-led startups capable of competing globally.
About the Author
Korede Abdullah 
Chukwu Obinna 
Oluwatobi Adu 