Business equipment
Purchasing tools, machinery, computers or other equipment needed to deliver products or services.
Small Business Grant
Small Business Grants in Nigeria
Supporting small businesses, entrepreneurs and promising business ideas.
Start or grow your business with Totesphere
Totesphere Partnerships' Small Business Grant is designed to support eligible individuals in Nigeria who want to establish a business or grow an existing one.
We recognise that a promising business idea can be held back by a lack of startup capital, equipment or resources needed to attract customers and increase sales.
Our programme aims to help eligible applicants address these barriers through funding for appropriate business development expenses.
Whether you are preparing to launch a new business or seeking to expand an existing enterprise, you can apply if you meet the programme's eligibility requirements and can explain how the requested funding will support your business objectives.
Maximum published grant amount
₦250,000
The maximum award is not guaranteed. Applications are assessed against the programme's eligibility requirements, funding priorities and available resources.
- Who can apply
- Nigerian residents with a business idea or an existing business
- CAC registration
- Not required
- Decisions
- February, July and November
Who is eligible to apply?
You may be eligible for the Totesphere Small Business Grant if you meet the following criteria.
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You live in Nigeria
Applicants must reside in Nigeria. The proposed business must also be intended to operate in Nigeria.
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You have a business idea or an existing business
Both aspiring entrepreneurs and existing business owners may apply.
You do not need to have started trading to be considered. If your business is still at the idea stage, you must explain what you intend to offer, who your customers will be and how you plan to launch the business.
Existing businesses should provide information about their current operations, earnings where applicable and plans for growth.
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You can explain your financial need
Applicants must explain why funding is needed and how the grant would address a genuine financial barrier to starting or growing their business.
Supporting evidence may include relevant bank statements, business earnings records and a realistic breakdown of the expenses the applicant cannot readily fund.
Applicants without an established business income should explain their current financial circumstances and provide the alternative supporting evidence requested by the programme.
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You have a clear plan for using the funds
Applicants must provide a business plan and a proposed budget. Existing businesses should also provide sales records where available.
Applicants at the idea stage may instead provide realistic sales forecasts, pricing assumptions and evidence of potential customer demand.
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You agree to the programme conditions
Successful applicants must use the funding for the approved purpose and comply with any reporting, verification and monitoring requirements communicated in their grant agreement.
Do I need to register my business with the CAC?
No.
Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration is not a mandatory eligibility requirement for this programme.
Applicants with an unregistered business, a sole proprietorship or a business idea may apply, provided they meet the other eligibility criteria.
If you intend to use part of the grant to register your business with the CAC, include the proposed registration expense in your business plan and budget.
Any registration expense remains subject to approval under the programme's funding conditions.
What can the grant be used for?
The grant may support reasonable, necessary expenses that help an eligible business start operating, improve its performance or increase sales. Examples include:
Business registration
Paying eligible CAC registration expenses where registration supports the proposed business plan.
One-off staff recruitment
Funding approved, one-off recruitment expenses needed to bring in staff who can help improve sales, production or service delivery.
Essential startup supplies
Purchasing initial stock, materials or supplies needed to begin operating, where permitted by the programme.
Business growth
Funding other clearly justified expenses that directly support the business objectives and have been approved by Totesphere Partnerships.
All proposed expenses must be itemised in the application budget. Explain how each expense will contribute to the business's development.
Funding is not automatically approved for every expense listed. The final permitted uses are set out in your grant agreement.
Documents required for your application
Prepare the following supporting information. Documents marked “If you are trading” are not expected from applicants who haven't started trading yet.
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Business plan
RequiredExplain the business idea, target customers, products or services, pricing, operating model and plans for growth.
For an existing business, include a description of current operations and the specific improvements the grant would support.
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Proposed business budget
RequiredList each item or expense, its estimated cost and why it is necessary. Include quotations or other price evidence where available.
The total requested amount must be within the programme's maximum award.
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Financial evidence
RequiredProvide relevant bank statements and available business earnings records to support your explanation of financial need.
Applicants with no trading history should explain that the business is pre-revenue and provide the alternative financial information requested by the application process.
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Sales records
If you are tradingExisting businesses should submit relevant sales records to demonstrate their current trading activity and help support their financial projections.
Applicants who have not started trading are not expected to produce historical sales records. They should provide reasonable forecasts and explain the assumptions behind them.
Additional information that may be requested
Depending on the application and proposed expenses, Totesphere may request identity and residency verification, equipment quotations, supplier details or other relevant supporting evidence.
How applications are assessed
Every application is assessed against the same criteria.
| Assessment area | What reviewers look for |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | The applicant resides in Nigeria and intends to operate the business in Nigeria. |
| Business plan | A clear business concept, target customers and realistic objectives. |
| Financial need | A credible explanation of the funding gap supported by appropriate evidence. |
| Budget | Necessary, reasonable and clearly itemised expenses. |
| Commercial potential | A plausible route to attracting customers, generating revenue or improving sales. |
| Use of funds | A direct link between requested expenditure and business objectives. |
| Feasibility | A realistic plan for implementing the proposal with the available resources. |
Applicants at a similar business stage are assessed with the same framework, and new business ideas are not expected to provide the same historical evidence as established businesses.
Meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee an award.
What happens after you apply?
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Application submission
Your application and supporting documents are received.
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Eligibility review
The team checks residency, application completeness and programme eligibility.
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Proposal assessment
Eligible applications are reviewed against the business plan, budget, financial need and expected business outcomes.
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Clarification or verification
Additional information may be requested where necessary.
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Decision
Applicants are informed of the outcome through the designated communication channel.
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Funding and follow-up
Successful applicants agree to the funding terms and any applicable reporting requirements before funds are released.
Review cycle
Decisions are made three times each year:
February
July
November
Small Business Grant FAQs
Yes. You do not need to have started trading. You must provide a business plan, proposed budget and realistic explanation of how you intend to launch the business.
No. CAC registration is not mandatory. You may include eligible registration expenses in your proposed budget.
You can still apply. Explain that your business is pre-revenue and provide realistic sales forecasts or other evidence of potential demand instead of historical sales records.
Provide the relevant financial information requested by the application, such as bank statements, available business earnings records and a clear explanation of your funding gap. Applicants without business earnings should follow the alternative evidence instructions.
One-off recruitment expenses may be considered if they are necessary for the business plan, appropriately budgeted and approved. Ongoing payroll commitments should not be assumed to be eligible.
No. ₦250,000 is the published maximum award, not a guaranteed payment. Any award is subject to assessment and the programme's terms.
Apply
Ready to apply?
Prepare your business plan, financial information and itemised budget before you begin. Review your details carefully and explain how the funding will help you establish or grow your business.