FG LAUNCHES “NEXT MOONSHOT” — STUDENT VENTURE CAPITAL GRANT (S‑VCG) OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS
The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, has opened the application portal for the Student Venture Capital Grant (S‑VCG) — a national initiative to convert student ideas into commercially viable, high‑impact ventures. The S‑VCG is a flagship of the Renewed Hope Agenda and targets the emergence of a new generation of Nigerian innovation entrepreneurs.
Quick summary
– Program name: Student Venture Capital Grant (S‑VCG) — “Next Moonshot” initiative
– Funding: Up to N50,000,000 per qualifying student‑led venture (equity‑free)
– Focus: Student innovations in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Medical Sciences)
– Location/beneficiaries: Registered students in accredited Nigerian tertiary institutions
– Application portal: https://svcg.education.gov.ng
What S‑VCG offers
– Equity‑free grants up to N50 million to scale student‑led ventures
– Intensive incubation programs to accelerate product‑market fit and growth
– Expert mentorship from seasoned entrepreneurs and industry leaders
– Full access to tools, platforms and resources needed for development and scaling
– One‑year free Google Gemini Pro license and premium learning resources for every successful applicant
Strategic tech partnership
– The Ministry has partnered with Google to enhance the application and evaluation process.
– Google’s Gemini AI will power custom “evaluation agents” embedded in the application portal to enable fair, intelligent, and efficient review of submissions.
– The partnership aims to provide students with world‑class tools from idea stage through commercialization.
Why it matters
– The program seeks projects with clear scalability, market relevance, and the potential to address critical national or global challenges.
– The initiative specifically aims to discover and nurture future “Nigerian Unicorns” rooted in universities and colleges.
Quote (excerpt)
– Honourable Minister of Education, Chief Dr. Tunji Alausa FAMedS, CON: “The President has challenged us to look for the next Moonshot within our tertiary institutions… This is an equity‑free seed investment in Nigeria’s future.”
How to apply
– Eligible students should prepare proposals that show scalability and market potential.
– Apply now at: https://svcg.education.gov.ng
