Opportunity for about 10,000 startups in the SMEs sector to access about N10 million seed support from the Global Impact Business Community (GIBC) as the GIBC opens applications for the Impact Conference 2025.
The Impact Conference is a landmark initiative designed to facilitate access to finance for over 10,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across Nigeria, with a targeted disbursement of ₦15 billion in funding support. The program will also deliver capacity building, financial literacy training, and investor linkages to help women and youth led businesses scale sustainably.
“At GIBC, our mission is to catalyze inclusive economic development by removing barriers to growth for entrepreneurs, particularly women- and youth-led businesses, and fostering partnerships that unlock long-term value. Through the Impact Conference, we are creating a high-impact platform where innovation meets opportunity, and finance meets scalability”, the statement said.
According to the organises, women and youth led entrepreneurs and business owners (men and women) selected and attendees from the pool of applicants and registration will gain:
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Access to funding opportunities across multiple sectors.
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Tailored capacity-building sessions led by industry experts.
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Exposure to investors, mentors, and potential partners.
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The opportunity to pitch their businesses live during the conference.
The conference is for MSMEs in retail, agriculture, manufacturing, services such as startups with innovative solutions and entrepreneurs with strong business ideas ready to pitch.
Both registered and unregistered businesses are welcome, however, you must have clarity of vision, commitment and growth potential
Commenting on the conference, GIBC Lead, Mr Benjamen Oladokun, said: “the enormity of underutilized potential in Nigeria is alarming. Our mission is to empower small businesses through an ecosystem where entrepreneurs can learn, connect, and access adequate capital to grow and maximize opportunities.”
Also commenting, Chief Executive Officer, Trade Lenda, Mr Adeshina Adewumi, said: “The Impact Conference powered by GIBC is more than an event; It is a movement to unlock Nigeria’s entrepreneurial potential. With ₦15 billion in funding, 10,000 businesses in various cohorts will not only receive support but also contribute to building Africa’s next wave of success stories. This is in line with our mission to support young women and youth micro entrepreneurs across emerging markets”.