About this opportunity
Most grant calls ask for a proposal. This one asks you to stand up and sell your business in ninety seconds, then do it again in front of a room. The Zero to 100 Pitch competition runs inside GROW Nigerian 2026, the National MSME Conference that SMEDAN is hosting at the Ecobank Pan African Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos from 8 to 10 November 2026.
The money is a ₦30 million pool across three grants: ₦15 million for first place, ₦10 million for second and ₦5 million for third. SMEDAN says the grants are disbursed on stage at the final, so the winner is decided in the room rather than in a folder after the event.
The route is short and strict. You post a public pitch video of between 1 minute 30 seconds and 2 minutes on Instagram, tagging @smedangov and @grownigerianhq with the hashtags #MSMEConference2026, #SMEDANPitchCompetition and #GrowNigerian. You then submit the form with your business details, your pitch deck and your SMEDAN ID. After a rigorous shortlisting process, 10 businesses go through to the semi-finals on Day 2, and the finalists pitch to the judging panel in the Plenary Hall on Day 3.
Two documents decide whether you can submit at all. The form needs your SMEDAN ID, the 16 digits printed on your SMEDAN certificate, and your CAC registration number. Without a SMEDAN ID you are pointed to portal.smedan.gov.ng to register, and the application saves as a draft, so you can start now, register, and return to finish it. Entry is free.
The window is genuinely tight. Applications opened on 15 October and close at 5pm on 22 October 2026, with the shortlist published on 26 October. That leaves days, not weeks, and the video has to be posted and public before the link will validate.
What you receive
- A share of a ₦30 million grant pool, with ₦15 million for first, ₦10 million for second and ₦5 million for third.
- Grants disbursed on stage at the final, in front of the judging panel.
- Ten shortlisted businesses pitch in the semi-finals on Day 2 of the conference, to a live audience.
- Finalists pitch in the Plenary Hall on Day 3 at the Ecobank Pan African Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.
- Exposure inside GROW Nigerian 2026, the National MSME Conference, running 8 to 10 November 2026.
- Entry is free.
- The application can be saved as a draft and returned to, which helps if you still need a SMEDAN ID.
Who can apply
- The competition is for Nigerian small businesses.
- A SMEDAN ID is required. It is the 16 digits on your SMEDAN certificate, and the form checks it against SMEDAN register data to fill in your business name, state and CAC number.
- Your CAC registration number is needed.
- The form asks for business name and industry, with industry options running from agriculture and agro processing to retail and trade.
- A pitch video of between 1 minute 30 seconds and 2 minutes must already be posted publicly on Instagram before you paste the link.
- The video must tag @smedangov and @grownigerianhq in the post itself and use #MSMEConference2026, #SMEDANPitchCompetition and #GrowNigerian.
- You must follow the organiser accounts listed on the pitch page.
- Businesses without a SMEDAN ID can register at portal.smedan.gov.ng and return to the application.
Who should not apply
- Instagram only this year. Pitch video links from other platforms are not accepted.
- The Instagram post must be public, so a private account cannot be used.
- Videos shorter than 1 minute 30 seconds or longer than 2 minutes fall outside the stated range.
Documents to prepare
- Your SMEDAN ID, the 16 digits on your SMEDAN certificate.
- Your CAC registration number.
- A pitch deck as a PDF, up to 10MB.
- A link to your public Instagram pitch video of 1 minute 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
- Your SMEDAN certificate if you want to attach it, as PDF, JPG or PNG up to 2MB.
How to apply
- Check you have a SMEDAN ID. If you do not have one, register at portal.smedan.gov.ng, then return to the application.
- Record your pitch video on your phone, landscape or vertical, introducing yourself, your business and why you are the pitch to watch. Keep it between 1 minute 30 seconds and 2 minutes.
- Follow the organiser accounts on Instagram, then post the video publicly, tagging @smedangov and @grownigerianhq in the post and using #MSMEConference2026, #SMEDANPitchCompetition and #GrowNigerian.
- Open the application form at https://conference.smedan.gov.ng/register/pitch and start with your SMEDAN ID so the business details autofill.
- Complete step 1, business and contact, including business name, industry and CAC number.
- Complete step 2, the pitch, and paste your public Instagram video link.
- Upload your pitch deck as a PDF up to 10MB, and your SMEDAN certificate if you want to attach it.
- Submit the declaration in step 4 before 5pm on 22 October 2026.
Selection process
- Applications are open from 15 October to 22 October 2026.
- SMEDAN runs a rigorous shortlisting process and takes 10 businesses into the semi-finals.
- The shortlist is announced on 26 October 2026.
- The 10 shortlisted businesses pitch to a live audience in the semi-finals on Day 2 of the conference.
- Finalists pitch to the judging panel in the Plenary Hall on Day 3, and the grants are disbursed on stage.
Sources and verification
Questions applicants ask
How much money is in the pool?
₦30 million in total, split as ₦15 million for first place, ₦10 million for second and ₦5 million for third.
Do I need a SMEDAN ID to apply?
Yes. The form starts with your SMEDAN ID and marks it required. It is the 16 digits on your SMEDAN certificate. If you do not have one yet, register at portal.smedan.gov.ng, save your application as a draft and come back to finish it.
Where do I post the pitch video?
On Instagram, publicly, between 1 minute 30 seconds and 2 minutes long. Tag @smedangov and @grownigerianhq in the post itself and use #MSMEConference2026, #SMEDANPitchCompetition and #GrowNigerian. Links from other platforms are not accepted this year.
When does it close?
Applications close at 5pm on 22 October 2026 and the shortlist of 10 businesses is announced on 26 October 2026.
Is there an entry fee?
No. Entry is free.
Where and when are the semi finals and the final?
Both happen at the National MSME Conference, GROW Nigerian 2026, from 8 to 10 November 2026 at the Ecobank Pan African Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos. The semi-finals are on Day 2 and the final is in the Plenary Hall on Day 3.
Important disclaimer
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