The Women in Tech Accelerator Offering Nigerian Women Founders $10,000 Grants
Last year's cohort of 12 women collectively reached over 16,000 customers, created 430+ jobs, and earned $2.7 million in revenue. The next cohort could include you.
Somewhere in Nigeria right now, a woman is building something that works. Not a pitch deck. Not a prototype that only lives in a PowerPoint. Something real. an actual platform helping farmers cut post-harvest losses, a tool making healthcare easier to reach, or a product bringing everyday businesses into the digital economy.
If that's you, or you know someone who is, then this is worth your time. Applications are closing soon for the next cohort of the Women in Tech Accelerator, a programme led by Standard Chartered Foundation in partnership with Village Capital and the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC). The deadline is May 8, 2026.
They didn't have more time or more capital. They just applied.
Last year, twelve women running tech-enabled businesses in Nigeria joined the programme. They weren't handed easy conditions; they faced the same capital gaps, thin networks, and stretched time that most Nigerian entrepreneurs know well. But within months, their results were hard to ignore:
16,000+ customers reached by the cohort
430+ jobs created across their businesses
$2.7MRevenue generated collectively
Those numbers came from 12 people. The programme didn't change their market or remove every obstacle. It gave them the tools, funding, and connections to move faster, and they did.
The Women in Tech Accelerator is a 12-week, hands-on programme built specifically for women founders who are past the idea stage and ready to scale. It is part of Standard Chartered's broader push to drive economic inclusion by backing women-led businesses that already have real traction.
What the programme includes
$10,000 equity-free grant — no stake in your business
12 weeks of practical, hands-on training
Strategy, operations and growth coaching
Mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs
Access to a network that opens doors to investors and partners
Community of women founders building in Nigeria
The research behind programmes like this is consistent: when women entrepreneurs gain access to the right funding and networks, they not only grow their own businesses but also create jobs, expand services, and generate economic activity in their communities. The previous cohort's numbers reflect exactly that.
The window is short. May 8 is the cutoff. If your business is tech-enabled and you are a woman founder in Nigeria, or if you know someone, the only thing between you and this opportunity is the application.
Applications close May 8, 2026.
