The Federal Government, through the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), has opened applications for its Zero to 100 Pitch Competition, offering Nigerian businesses an opportunity to win a share of ₦30 million in grants.
The competition is part of the 2026 National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Conference, scheduled to hold from November 8 to 10 at the Ecobank Pan African Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos.
According to the official competition portal, three businesses will receive grants based on their final positions. The first-place winner will receive ₦15 million, the second-place winner ₦10 million, while the third-place winner will receive ₦5 million.
Applications are free, but interested business owners must submit their entries by 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
The competition is designed for Nigerian businesses seeking an opportunity to present their products, services and growth potential before a judging panel.
Applicants should prepare the required business registration details, a valid SMEDAN identification number, a pitch deck and a short promotional pitch video.
The competition will shortlist 10 businesses for the semi-final stage. The shortlist is expected to be announced on October 26, 2026.
Selected businesses will pitch before a live audience during the conference, with the final winners determined through the competition process. Applying does not guarantee selection or a grant.
Applicants should have the following ready before beginning the application:
CAC registration number: Details of the business registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
Valid SMEDAN ID: Applicants without one can register through the SMEDAN portal before applying.
Pitch deck: A PDF presentation of up to 10MB explaining the business and its potential.
Pitch video: A public Instagram video lasting between 1 minute 30 seconds and 2 minutes.
SMEDAN certificate: Optional, in PDF, JPG or PNG format, with a maximum file size of 2MB.
Interested business owners should follow these steps:
Confirm that their business registration details and SMEDAN ID are available.
Prepare a pitch deck in PDF format and record a video introducing the business, its products or services, and its growth potential.
Publish the 1.5–2 minute pitch video publicly on Instagram, following the tagging and hashtag instructions.
Visit the official application portal at https://conference.smedan.gov.ng/pitch.
Complete the application form and submit it before the deadline.
Applicants should ensure that all submitted information is accurate and that their Instagram video meets the stated requirements.
With the deadline approaching, eligible business owners are encouraged to prepare their documents and submit their applications early rather than wait until the final hours.