NANSInnovate Competition 2026 for Nigerian Student Entrepreneurs

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Applications are open for NANSInnovate Competition 2026. The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has opened applications for the 2026 edition of its innovation and entrepreneurship competition, NANSInnovate 2026.

The initiative is designed to support Nigerian students with innovative business ideas and existing ventures by providing access to funding opportunities, investors, industry experts and business leaders.

NANSInnovate 2026 is a national summit organised by the NANS Headquarters under the leadership of Comr. Akinteye Afeez (BABTEE) to find and support the students already running businesses across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

A lot of students are quietly building real businesses on the side. This is a chance to bring them into one room with investors, mentors, and industry leaders — and let the best ideas compete for actual funding to grow. The programme runs for a week — learning, networking, mentorship. It ends with a national pitch competition where the top 20 student entrepreneurs compete for transparent funding to grow their businesses.

NANSInnovate Competition Benefits

National Pitch
- Top 20 finalists pitch on stage for business funding.
Networking
- Meet investors, industry leaders, and other student founders.
Mentorship
- One-on-one guidance from people who’ve built businesses.
Funding
- Transparent prizes for the strongest business ideas.

Eligibility Criteria

You need to meet all of these to enter.

Currently enrolled Nigerian student
At any recognised university, polytechnic, or college of education in Nigeria.
A business idea or existing venture
- Either something you already run, or a solid idea you want to launch.
Valid student ID card
- Current, not expired. Any format (JPG, PNG, or PDF).
Business proposal document
- Word format (.docx), max 10 pages. Nothing fancy — just clear and complete.
Nigerian citizen
- From any of the 36 states or the FCT.
No fees, no payments
- Entry is completely free. If anyone asks you to pay for anything — it’s a scam. Report them.

How To Apply for NANSInnovate Competition

Takes about 15 minutes if you have your documents ready.

Get your documents ready
- School ID (photo or PDF), business proposal (.docx), and optionally your CAC or SMEDAN certificate if you have one.
Fill the entry form
- Personal details, school info, business info. Pick your business category and whether it’s new or existing.
Upload your files
- Drag and drop, or click to browse. We accept JPG, PNG, PDF for IDs and .docx for the proposal.
Write your pitch (100 words)
- Short and honest. What’s the business, why does it matter, what will you do with the funding?
Submit and save your code
- You’ll get a code like NANS-Inv-2026-K7T. Screenshot it — that’s how you check your status later.

Business Proposal Requirements