08:00to 09:00
openRegistration
Main Hall
The Next Frontier for Innovation, Policy and Market Access.
8–10 November 2026Ecobank Pan African Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos
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GROW NIGERIAN 20268–10 NOVEMBEREPAC LAGOS3 DAYS5 TRACKS7 ROOMS156 EXHIBITORS90+ VOICES₦50M PITCH POOLZERO TO 100FREE TO ATTENDLIVE-STREAMEDFASHION & FOOD SHOWCASEENVISIONED BY SMEDAN
The theme.
Two years in, Nigerian small business has re-drawn the national conversation. Three days at EPAC take it into the frontier we haven’t crossed together: markets past the state line, finance that meets a small business where it is, and policy that leaves the room changed.
InnovationPolicyMarket access
ENVISIONED BY
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
HOSTED BY
The room in 2025.
Federal Palace, Lagos. Three days, 2,000+ entrepreneurs, and the moment GROW Nigerian became more than a working title.
- delegates2,000+
- sessions48
- exhibitors112
- grants awarded₦18M
Day 3 Recap
Closing day at Federal Palace. The Zero to 100 final, the awards, and the room emptying into the future.
Day 2 Recap
A full day of clinics, dialogues, and the shortlisted 30 walking into the semi-finals.
Keynote Address Recap
The main-stage keynote. GROW Nigerian named the frontier.
The room in 2026.
8–10 November · Ecobank Pan African Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. The room re-opens with more rooms, more voices, and more of you in it.
- days3
- exhibitors156
- voices90+
THE SHAPE
Five tracks. Seven rooms.
One agenda, deliberately not built around panels. Every track can run in every room; what changes room to room is the format.
01
Finance and Capital Access
Working capital, credit rails, blended finance and grant windows that don't leak.
02
Markets and Export Readiness
State-line to continent. Route to market, distribution, and export paperwork that runs.
03
Policy and Business Environment
Tax, permits, incentives and enforcement. Where the room changes the rules.
04
Digital Adoption and Technology
Payment rails, digital storefronts, AI in the day-to-day, cybersecurity for MSMEs.
05
Workforce Solutions
Talent pipelines, apprenticeships, skills, and the people who make the business run.
Every track can run in every room. The room sets the format.
The programme.
A first look at what runs on the day. The full three-day agenda is on the Programme page.
TIMESESSIONFORMATROOMWHOSTATUS
09:00to 09:20
openWelcome and framing: the GROW agenda
Keynote· Main Hall
Charles Odii
09:20to 10:00
openOpening keynote
Keynote· Main Hall
10:00to 10:45
openICSS Graduation
Policy Dialogue· Main Hall
10:45to 11:00
openMinister Address
Main Hall
11:00to 16:00
openBusiness Clinic: finance, legal, tax, digital
Expert Office Hours· GROW Cafe
11:00to 13:30
openBuild your export-ready offer (2.5h workshop)
Workshop· Makers' Bench
11:00to 13:00
openCreative economy spotlight: a Nigerian brand or film that reached a global stage (2h showcase)
Demo Showcase· GROW Studios
Excerpt of Day 2, the first public day. Day 1 is the invite-only Fashion & Food Showcase. Full agenda spans 3 days, 5 tracks, 7 rooms.
The people in the room.
Ministers, founders, investors and operators. About 90 confirmed for 2026. 2 shown below.
Charles Odii
DG · SMEDAN
Professor Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye
DG · NAFDAC
To be announced
Confirming
To be announced
Confirming
To be announced
Confirming
To be announced
Confirming
To be announced
Confirming
To be announced
Confirming
The MSME Marketplace.
137 booths inside and 19 outdoor food vendors. 156 businesses from every state of the federation, free to the public on 9 and 10 November. Expecting about 5,000 visitors a day.
156
businesses in total
137
indoor booths
19
outdoor food vendors
~10k
visitors over 2 days
Approvals begin September.
Booths are being allocated now. Names of approved businesses are announced closer to the event.
- A02
Textiles & Apparel · Lagos
- A05
Food & Beverage · Ogun
- A08
Beauty & Wellness · Kano
- B01
Craft & Homeware · Anambra
- B04
Digital & Tech · Rivers
- B09
Agri & Materials · Kaduna
- B12
Fashion Accessories · Enugu
- C03
Personal Care · Delta
- C07
Home Goods · Edo
- C11
Health & Nutrition · FCT
- D02
Textiles & Apparel · Plateau
- D06
Food & Beverage · Cross River
- D10
Craft & Homeware · Oyo
- E01
Digital & Tech · Kwara
- E05
Beauty & Wellness · Nasarawa
- A02
Textiles & Apparel · Lagos
- A05
Food & Beverage · Ogun
- A08
Beauty & Wellness · Kano
- B01
Craft & Homeware · Anambra
- B04
Digital & Tech · Rivers
- B09
Agri & Materials · Kaduna
- B12
Fashion Accessories · Enugu
- C03
Personal Care · Delta
- C07
Home Goods · Edo
- C11
Health & Nutrition · FCT
- D02
Textiles & Apparel · Plateau
- D06
Food & Beverage · Cross River
- D10
Craft & Homeware · Oyo
- E01
Digital & Tech · Kwara
- E05
Beauty & Wellness · Nasarawa
See the marketplaceCOMING SOONView booth mapCOMING SOON
OPEN APPLICATION
30
booths open to the public application pool.
ELIGIBILITY
- CAC-registered business
- SMEDAN registered (optional · priority)
- 2+ years operating
- Ecobank onboarding consent
THREE STEPS
- 1
Apply
10 min
- 2
Review
By SMEDAN
- 3
Onboard
+ booth
Deadline · 03 October 2026
Apply for a boothZero to 100.
The pitch competition, now with a ₦50 million grant pool. Semi-finals on Day 2, live final on Day 3.
ZERO TO 100 · PRIZE POOL
₦50M
FIRST
₦25M
The winner
SECOND
₦15M
Runner-up
THIRD
₦10M
Third place
01
Apply
Send your business, deck and a 1.5–2 min public pitch post by 10 October.
02
Shortlist
A shortlist of 30 announced 24 October.
03
Semi-finals
Day 2 at EPAC. 30 pitch to a live audience. 10 advance.
04
The Final
Day 3, Plenary Hall. 10 pitch to the judging panel. Grants disbursed on stage.
Apply to pitch
Application window closes 10 October 2026.
THE RUNWAY
01 / 06
The Fashion & Food Showcase.
An evening on 8 November opens the conference: a curated runway of Nigerian designers, and tasting stations from the country’s most watched kitchens. Invited audience of delegates, investors and the Lagos creative and business community.
- 8 NOVEMBER
- Day 1 · Evening
- BY INVITE
- 5 designers
- TASTING STATIONS
- 6 kitchens
- VENUE
- EPAC · Lagos
Three ways to take part.
All free. Pick the one that fits.
FREE · PUBLIC DAYS 9–10 NOV
Attend
For anyone. Sessions and the marketplace, 9–10 November. Live-stream option for remote attendees.
30 OPEN SLOTS · 156 BOOTHS IN TOTAL
Exhibit
For SMEs with 2+ years operating. 30 open slots. CAC required; SMEDAN optional and prioritised.
₦50M GRANT POOL · CLOSES 10 OCT
Pitch
For businesses ready to pitch. Deck + a 1.5–2 min public pitch post required. Deadline 10 October.