The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has opened applications for NANSInnovate 2026, a national entrepreneurship programme designed to identify and support student entrepreneurs across Nigeria. The initiative, organised by the NANS Headquarters under the leadership of Comr. Akinteye Afeez (BABTEE), targets students already running businesses or those with viable business ideas they want to develop.
The programme will run for a week and feature learning, networking and mentorship opportunities before culminating in a national pitch competition. The top 20 finalists will compete for business funding to support the growth of their ventures.
What is NANSInnovate 2026?
NANSInnovate 2026 is an entrepreneurship programme created to connect student business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs with investors, mentors and industry leaders. The initiative aims to provide selected students with opportunities to develop their businesses, gain industry knowledge and compete for funding.
The programme will end with a national pitch competition where the top 20 student entrepreneurs will present their businesses and ideas before judges. Students from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory are eligible to apply.
Who Can Apply and What Businesses Are Eligible?
The programme is open to Nigerian students who meet the eligibility requirements. Applicants must be currently enrolled at a recognised university, polytechnic or college of education in Nigeria, be a Nigerian citizen, have an existing business or viable business idea, possess a valid student identity card, and provide a business proposal in Microsoft Word format.
Applicants can submit businesses or ideas that fall under any of the programme's approved categories, including production and manufacturing, trading and merchandise, services, and agriculture. Both existing businesses and new business ideas can be submitted.
Required Documents and Business Proposal Specifications
Applicants are expected to prepare their documents before starting the application. The required documents include a valid student ID card and a business proposal in Microsoft Word format. Applicants who have them may also submit their CAC or SMEDAN certificates.
The student ID can be uploaded in JPG, PNG or PDF format, while the business proposal must be submitted as a .docx file. The business proposal must be in Microsoft Word (.docx) format, not exceed 10 pages, use Times New Roman font, font size 12, single line spacing, and the file size must not exceed 5MB. Applicants do not need to create a complicated document; the proposal should clearly explain the business and its potential.
How to Apply for NANSInnovate 2026
Applicants can complete the application in five main steps. First, prepare your documents by getting your valid student ID and business proposal ready, and optionally your CAC or SMEDAN certificate. Second, complete the entry form by providing personal information, school details, and business information, and select your business category and indicate whether you are submitting an existing business or a new business idea.
Third, upload your documents in the specified formats. The platform accepts JPG, PNG and PDF files for student IDs, while business proposals must be uploaded in .docx format. Fourth, write a 100-word pitch explaining your business, highlighting what it does, why it matters, and how you intend to use the funding to grow the business. Fifth, submit the application and save your application code, which may look like NANS-Inv-2026-K7T. Applicants are advised to save or screenshot the code because it will be needed to check the status of their application.
Benefits and Application Cost
NANSInnovate 2026 will provide selected student entrepreneurs with opportunities to participate in a national pitch competition, business mentorship, networking with investors and industry leaders, entrepreneurship learning sessions, and business funding opportunities. The top 20 finalists will compete in the national pitch competition for funding to support the growth of their businesses.
The application is completely free. Applicants should not make payments to anyone claiming to facilitate their application or secure selection. NANSInnovate warns that anyone requesting payment for entry should be treated as a potential scam and reported.
The programme will run for a week, combining learning, networking and mentorship before ending with the national pitch competition. The top 20 finalists will present their businesses on stage and compete for funding to expand their ventures.
