Onitsha Business Hangout and Business Clinic are hosting a N20 million grant challenge for Southeast business startups.
The regional grant challenge, called the Open Pitch Grant Challenge, is designed to support microbusinesses, startups, and entrepreneurs in the southeast region of Nigeria.
The Grant challenge aims to offer eastern startups seed funds, mentorship, and the right exposure, enabling them to scale, create jobs, and contribute to the region’s local economy.
The Open Pitch Grant Challenge is funded and supported by Onitsha Business Hangout and Business Clinic, both strategic initiatives aimed at stimulating growth in Anambra’s business ecosystem.
The challenge is the second startup capital fund currently in session alongside the N70 billion Southeast Venture Capital Fund, floated by the Southeast Development Commission.
The application deadline for the Open Pitch Grant Challenge is May 10, 2026, at 10 p.m. Application registration is ongoing at www.onitshabusinesshangout.com/apply.
Application Requirements and Eligibility
- Applicants must live and operate in southeast Nigeria and must be over 18 years of age.
- Business must have been open and active for the past year and fall under the Product and Service category.
- Both registered and unregistered businesses are eligible to apply. Unregistered businesses are required to produce proof of location, such as utility bills.
- Clear and sustainable business plan and a burning need for funding.
- Potentials for growth and market expansion are a plus.
The Onitsha business Hangout is at the frontier of the southeast business ecosystem. The initiative spotlights brands and drives the right conversation about the growing startup culture in the East.
Ogbaji Ifeanyi, the founder and driver of this initiative, is a social media influencer with a strong focus on Onitsha. He has organised a number of successful events with the brand. He has also spotlighted Tiger Foods, Voice of the East, Crystal Garden Estate, and other promising startups in Onitsha.
Initiatives like the Open Pitch Grant Challenge solve the problem of access to capital for startups in the eastern region. This is a major ecosystem multiplier as the region is rife with talent and ambition in good need of support and direction.
