The Nigerian Capital Development Fund, NCDF, in collaboration with the National Board for Technology Incubation and the London School of Social Enterprise and Sustainable Economics, has officially opened applications for the 2025 edition of the Fortune Entrepreneur Accelerator, Summit & Venture Capital Programme.
Scheduled to culminate in a national summit in Benin City, Edo State in September, the initiative is designed to discover and support 1,000 high-potential Nigerian startups.
It will focus on strategic sectors critical to Nigeria’s development, including agriculture, energy, fintech, healthcare, manufacturing, the creative industries, and climate innovation.
At the centre of the programme is the NCDF Opportunity Growth Fund, a dedicated venture capital fund that will provide up to ₦500 million in equity investment to each selected startup.
The fund aims to generate over $10 billion in long-term economic value, driving the country’s goals of wealth creation, youth empowerment, and industrial innovation.
Executive Chairman of NCDF, Hareter Babatunde Oralusi, described the initiative as a bold step towards transforming the entrepreneurial landscape in Nigeria.
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“The Fortune Entrepreneur Programme is more than a start-up support initiative — it is a national platform to build unicorn enterprises that will drive Nigeria’s innovation economy. With the right support and capital, Nigerian entrepreneurs can build companies that rival the best in the world”, he said.
The eight-week accelerator will offer participating startups hands-on business development support to refine their models and strategies, compliance training to ensure regulatory alignment, and investment readiness guidance to help them attract external funding.
These elements are designed to provide entrepreneurs with the critical skills, knowledge, and resources they need to scale effectively.
The programme will culminate in the Fortune Entrepreneur Summit in Benin City, featuring live startup pitches, exhibitions, masterclasses, and direct engagement with local and international investors. Participants will also receive long-term scale-up support from the NCDF Opportunity Growth Fund.
Eligible applicants must be Nigerian citizens between the ages of 18 and 45, leading startups at the idea, MVP, or growth stage. Priority will be given to women-led, youth-driven, and tech-enabled businesses with strong social and economic impact. A participation fee of ₦50,000 is required.
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