About this opportunity
The Fegho Umunubo Foundation has opened applications for the second cohort of its Grassroots Creative Business Support Initiative, the programme it runs as GCBSI 2.0. Nigerian creative entrepreneurs and businesses can apply for a grant of ₦1,000,000 to ₦1,500,000, and the money arrives with business development training and hands on support attached rather than as a cash transfer alone.
The foundation describes the initiative as a quarterly commitment. Its own site states that every quarter 20 grassroots creative businesses are selected for grant funding, with a chance to receive additional equity or loan financing on top, and it lists ₦20,000,000 in grant funding against a programme that can extend up to ₦50,000,000 in equity or loan support. Cohort one ran in February 2026 and supported 22 businesses with grants between ₦500,000 and ₦1,000,000, so cohort two is a step up in size as well as in value.
The support around the grant is aimed at the ordinary weak points in a young creative business. Successful applicants receive practical sessions covering marketing, bookkeeping, pricing and financial literacy, plus guidance to strengthen day to day operations, reach more customers and build a venture that can last. The foundation is an Abuja based non governmental organisation whose stated mission is to provide technical and funding support for creative and technology enterprises.
Two things are worth lining up before you start. The application form asks for your CAC registration number, so have your registration details to hand, and the call also asks for a one minute video introducing your business and explaining why you need the grant, posted on Instagram with the hashtag #GCBSI. Applications opened on 1 October 2026 and close on 1 November 2026.
What you receive
- A business grant of ₦1,000,000 to ₦1,500,000
- Practical training sessions in marketing, bookkeeping, pricing and financial literacy
- Business support to strengthen operations, improve customer reach and build a more sustainable venture
- A chance to receive additional equity or loan financing from the foundation, which lists up to ₦50,000,000 for that purpose
- Joining a quarterly cohort: the foundation selects 20 grassroots creative businesses every quarter
Who can apply
- Open to creative entrepreneurs and businesses operating in Nigeria
- Eligible sector groups: media, film and entertainment
- Fashion, clothing, textiles and fashion accessories
- Handmade products, arts and crafts
- Furniture, interior design and creative design
- Beauty and personal styling
- Photography, videography, printing and visual branding
- Food production, baking and creative confectionery
- Home fragrance businesses
- The form requires a CAC registration number, so the business should be registered
- The form also asks how long the business has been running
Who should not apply
- The foundation does not publish an exclusion list beyond the sector scope above
Documents to prepare
- Your name, phone number and email address
- Business name
- CAC registration number
- State of operation
- How long the business has been running
- A one minute video introducing your business and explaining why you need the grant, shared on Instagram with the hashtag #GCBSI
How to apply
- Check that your business falls inside one of the eligible creative sector groups listed above
- Record a one minute video introducing your business and explaining why you need the grant
- Share that video on Instagram using the hashtag #GCBSI
- Open the GCBSI 2.0 application form through the application link on this listing
- Complete the form with your name, phone number, email address, business name, CAC registration number, state of operation and how long you have been running
- Submit before the deadline of 1 November 2026
Selection process
- The foundation does not publish a selection timetable for cohort two
- Cohort one was completed in February 2026 with 22 businesses supported, which is the reference point for what a cohort delivers
- The programme runs quarterly, so a cohort that misses this window is not the last one the foundation will open
Sources and verification
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Questions applicants ask
How much is the grant worth?
Between ₦1,000,000 and ₦1,500,000. The foundation's own application flyer states that range for Nigerian creative entrepreneurs, and cohort one in February 2026 awarded ₦500,000 to ₦1,000,000 to 22 businesses.
Does the application form ask for the video?
No. The form collects seven fields: name, phone number, email address, business name, CAC registration number, state of operation and how long the business has been running. The one minute introduction video posted on Instagram with #GCBSI is described as a companion step in the call announcement, so post it as well as filling in the form.
Do I need a registered business?
The form makes a CAC registration number a required answer, so plan on having your registration details available before you apply.
Is there an application fee?
No fee is published anywhere in the call or on the application form.
When does the window close?
Applications opened on 1 October 2026 and close on 1 November 2026. The foundation publishes the date without a clock time.
Important disclaimer
Nextali researches and curates useful opportunities to make discovery easier. Before applying, verify every timeline, requirement, fee and application link on the official provider website. Do your own research into the organisation, its background and the authenticity of the offer. Nextali does not guarantee selection, funding or the conduct of third party providers.
