ABUJA — The Federal Government has opened applications for the second cohort of the Student Venture Capital Grant, which offers up to N50 million in equity-free funding to 50 student-led ventures in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine. The National Project Coordinator, Adebayo Onigbanjo, said a campus campaign would run from September 6 to 30 at nine institutions, with ambassadors in 20 others. Applications will be screened with the help of AI and reviewed by human evaluators, followed by a bootcamp and six months of mentorship. Partners include TETFund, the Bank of Industry and the Afara Initiative. Applications close on September 30. On International Literacy Day, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, announced that full autonomy had been restored to the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education (NMEC). The commission's Executive Secretary, Prof. Dahiru Muhammad Shuni, said Nigeria's latest literacy data dates back to 2010 and fresh data collection is under way.