The MTN Foundation has opened applications for the eighth phase of its ICT and Business Skills Training Programme, targeting young Nigerian women who own and manage microbusinesses.

The 2026 Phase 8 edition is expected to train 3,000 female microbusiness owners across Rivers, Abia, Ogun, Kwara, Kano and Gombe states.

The five-week programme will combine self-paced online learning with instructor-led training, business masterclasses and a capstone project. Participants will also receive data support throughout the training.

Beyond the skills development component, the programme offers an equipment grant opportunity for its highest-performing participants. The top 100 participants will be eligible to receive grants of up to ₦1 million each, with ₦100 million allocated to the equipment grant fund.

The ICT and Business Skills Training Programme is a youth-development initiative of the MTN Foundation aimed at helping young microbusiness owners strengthen the digital and business capabilities needed to grow their enterprises.

Since the programme began in 2018, it has trained thousands of young Nigerian microbusiness owners through partnerships with organisations including Google, Oracle, KPMG, IBM, Digital Bridge Institute, Cisco, Meta and Microsoft.

According to the MTN Foundation, 15,362 young microbusiness owners have completed the programme across 29 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

For Phase 8, the initiative is specifically focused on female entrepreneurs operating businesses in six states.

The training will be delivered through a blended learning structure covering self-paced online modules, instructor-led sessions, masterclasses facilitated by experienced entrepreneurs and a capstone project challenge. Participants will also receive data support.

The programme is intended to enable participants to put the knowledge and skills gained during the training into practice within their existing businesses.

To qualify, applicants must be Nigerian women aged between 18 and 35 who own and manage a microbusiness. Their businesses must have been operating for no more than two years and must be located in Rivers, Abia, Ogun, Kwara, Kano or Gombe State.

Women operating businesses outside these six states are therefore not eligible to apply for Phase 8.

Successful applicants will have access to five weeks of ICT and business skills development, including self-paced learning, instructor-led sessions and masterclasses, alongside data support during the programme.

The equipment grant is an additional opportunity rather than an assured payment for all successful participants. Only the top 100 participants can receive up to ₦1 million each from the ₦100 million equipment grant fund.

The MTN Foundation’s broader ICT and Business Skills programme has also provided equipment support in previous phases. The foundation says 1,100 recipients from earlier phases have received equipment grants with a combined value of ₦430 million.

Interested entrepreneurs are required to visit the official MTN Foundation ICT and Business Skills Training page and select the “Click here to apply” option to access the application form.

Applicants are expected to submit accurate personal and business information and confirm that they satisfy all eligibility conditions before completing their applications.

Applications for the MTN Foundation ICT and Business Skills Training Phase 8 will close on October 11, 2026. Eligible women entrepreneurs are encouraged to submit their applications before the deadline rather than wait until the final day.

Key programme details: The initiative targets 3,000 female microbusiness owners aged 18 to 35 in Rivers, Abia, Ogun, Kwara, Kano and Gombe. Eligible businesses must have operated for no more than two years. Training lasts five weeks, while the top 100 participants are eligible for equipment grants of up to ₦1 million each from a total ₦100 million fund. Applications close on October 11, 2026.

Application: MTN Foundation official application page: https://www.mtn.ng/mtnf-ict/

Source: msmeafricaonline