Contact Us
The Continent Grows When Its Founders Grow.
Who Should Apply
The Charles Chima Grant is open to growth-stage
entrepreneurs across Africa who meet all of the following criteria.
Criterion 1
Business Registration
Your business must be registered with the relevant authority in your country. In Nigeria, this means registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission. In other African countries, the equivalent national business registration body applies. Any business registration type is accepted, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, and limited liability companies, provided the registration is current and verifiable.
Criterion 2
Operational History
Your business must have been operational and generating revenue for a minimum of one year at the time of application. Businesses that are pre-revenue or in the process of launching their first product or service are not eligible for this grant.
Criterion 3
Sector Alignment
Your business must operate primarily within one of the seven focus sectors of the Charles Chima Grant. The seven sectors are Health and Wellness, Agribusiness, Green Economy, Artificial Intelligence and Technology, Creative Industry, Manufacturing and Production, and Education and Training. Businesses that operate across multiple sectors should identify the sector that best describes their primary activity.
Criterion 4
Geographic Eligibility
The grant is open to entrepreneurs who are citizens or legal residents of any African country. Your business must be based and operating on the African continent. Applications from African entrepreneurs in the diaspora whose businesses are not based in Africa will not be considered at this stage of the programme.
Criterion 5
Founder Age
The lead applicant must be between 25 and 42 years of age at the time of submitting their application.
Criterion 6
Co-Founded Businesses
Businesses with more than one founder are eligible to apply. However, only one founder may submit the application and serve as the lead applicant on behalf of the business. The lead applicant will be the primary point of contact throughout the process and will be the signatory on the grant agreement if the business is selected. A partner consent form signed by all co-founders must be submitted as part of the Stage 1 application.
Eligibility Checklist
Go through each statement below and confirm whether it applies to your business
This self-check is a guide to help you assess your eligibility before applying. It does not constitute a formal eligibility determination. The Foundation reserves the right to make the final determination on eligibility during the application review process.
Documents You Will Need to Apply
The following documents are required as part of your Stage 1 application. We strongly recommend gathering all of these before you begin, as incomplete applications will not progress to Stage 2.
A valid government-issued identification document such as a national ID card, international passport, or driver's licence.
Your business registration certificate issued by the relevant national authority.
Evidence of your Tax Identification Number or the equivalent tax registration document in your country.
Your most recent three months of bank statements for your business account.
A brief written description of your business, what it does, who it serves, and what stage of growth it is currently at.
A summary of your business financials including your monthly revenue, monthly expenses, payroll, gross margin, and customer acquisition cost.
A partner consent form signed by all co-founders, if your business has more than one founder. This form is available for download in your applicant portal once you have created your account.
Frequently Asked Eligibility Questions
Yes, provided your business is based and operating on the African continent and you are a citizen or legal resident of an African country.
Yes. Co-founded businesses are eligible. One founder must serve as the lead applicant and a partner consent form signed by all co-founders must be submitted with the application.
Select the sector that best describes your primary business activity. If you are genuinely unsure, please contact the Foundation at contact@charleschimagrant.com before submitting your application.
An applicant who was unsuccessful in a previous cohort within the same year may apply again in a subsequent cohort. However, a business that has already received funding from the Charles Chima Grant in any prior cohort is not eligible to apply again.
Applicants are required to provide accurate and verifiable financial information as part of Stage 1. If your records are currently informal, we recommend formalising them before applying. Submitting inaccurate or unverifiable financial information will disqualify your application.
There is no fixed minimum revenue requirement. However, your business must be generating revenue and must have been doing so for at least one year. The financial information you submit will be reviewed as part of the overall assessment of your application.
If you meet the eligibility criteria, the next step is to begin your application
Applications for Cohort 1 of the Charles Chima Grant open on 15th June 2026 and close on 15th July 2026. Create your account in the applicant portal, gather your documents, and submit your application before the window closes.