Full Program Details
Young Nigerian founders running a social startup can compete for a share of $90,000 in grants from the Allianz MoveNow Social Innovation Challenge, run by the non-profit Social Shifters. Founders must be 18 to 30, the challenge is open to young people anywhere in the world, and applications close on 18 December 2026 at 5pm UTC, which is 6pm in Lagos.
Grants of $5,000 and $10,000 are shared across three themes, with $30,000 in each, and every finalist gets an Allianz business mentor.
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Details at a glance
- Organisers: Social Shifters, with Allianz's MoveNow programme
- Prize pool: $90,000 in grants, $30,000 per theme
- Grant sizes: $5,000 and $10,000
- Who: youth-led social startups and projects, founders aged 18 to 30
- Where: open to young people anywhere in the world
- Deadline: 18 December 2026, 5pm UTC (6pm in Nigeria)
- Finalists announced: March 2027
- Mentoring begins: 15 March 2027
- Cost to apply: free
What It Covers
The challenge offers three kinds of support:
- Grant funding. Several awards of $5,000 and $10,000, adding up to $30,000 in each of the three themes.
- Founder support. Help developing a strong submission, access to learning materials, and an Allianz business mentor for every finalist.
- A year-round network. All eligible applicants join Social Shifters' opportunities network, which shares further grants, paid work and training through the year.
The three themes
You enter one theme. Pick the one your work clearly fits:
| Theme | What the organisers want to back |
|---|---|
| Financial Confidence in the Digital Economy | Young innovators helping entrepreneurs and small businesses start, grow and last, through digital tools, skills and financial knowledge |
| Closing the Health Gap | Health solutions that tackle systemic gaps, especially the under-representation of women and marginalised groups in health research, services and diagnostics |
| Community-Led Climate Resilience | Local solutions that combine technology with community knowledge to help vulnerable communities prepare for and live with climate change |
For Nigerian founders, the first theme is the natural fit for fintech, bookkeeping and digital-skills projects for traders and small businesses. Health startups working on women's health, diagnostics or rural access fit the second. Flood early-warning, climate-smart farming and clean-energy projects for communities fit the third.
Who Can Apply
Your startup or project must be:
- Youth-led: the founders leading it are between 18 and 30 and have clear decision-making authority.
- Impact-focused: it addresses a clearly defined social or environmental problem and can show measurable social outputs and impact.
Social Shifters says its programmes are for young people anywhere in the world who are taking action in their communities and contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, so Nigerians are eligible.
Who cannot apply: founders over 30 or under 18, startups where the young founder is not the real decision-maker, and ventures with no clear social or environmental purpose.
How to Apply
- Choose your theme from the three above.
- Gather your evidence: what problem you solve, for whom, what you have done so far and the numbers that show it, such as people reached, businesses served or results measured.
- Explain the grant's use. Be specific about what $5,000 or $10,000 would let you do in the next year.
- Submit on the official page before 18 December 2026, 5pm UTC. Late applications are not considered.
Timeline
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 18 December 2026, 5pm UTC | Applications close |
| March 2027 | Finalists shortlisted and announced |
| 15 March 2027 | Mentoring for finalists begins |
| After mentoring | Winning founders announced and grants awarded |
Frequently asked questions
Can Nigerians apply?
Yes. Social Shifters runs the challenge for young founders anywhere in the world.
Do I need a registered company?
The challenge is open to startups, ventures and projects. What matters is that it is youth-led and shows measurable social impact.
Is there an application fee?
No fee is listed on the official page.
What if one co-founder is over 30?
The founders leading the startup must be 18 to 30 and hold decision-making authority, so check that the young founder is the real leader before applying.
GizPulse Verdict
Who this is for: Nigerian founders aged 18 to 30 running a social startup or community project with real results to show, especially in small-business finance, women's health or climate resilience.
Who should pause: founders over 30, ideas with no track record yet, and purely commercial startups with no measurable social impact.
One tip: lead with one number that proves impact, such as "trained 120 market traders to keep digital records" or "screened 800 women in three LGAs", and tie your grant request to growing that number.
Official page: Allianz MoveNow Social Innovation Challenge. Last verified: 3 November 2026.
