Nigerian lifestyle and cosmetics brand Toke Makinwa Beauty, in partnership with fintech leader Flutterwave, has selected three winners for its inaugural ₦1,000,000 Glow Up Grant.
Selected from a pool of over 200 applicants across 7 commercial sectors, the initiative combines equity-free cash injections with digital payment integration, ensuring participating small businesses possess the financial infrastructure required to process online transactions securely.
The 2026 Glow Up Grant Awardees
| Award Tier | Beneficiary Business | Founder / Lead | Sector & Business Model |
| Grand Prize Winner (₦500,000) | My Pocket Uni | Esther Ngozi Onuosa | EdTech: Edtech platform delivering accessible digital study guides and academic support resources. |
| Runner-Up (₦250,000) | LOIB Cre8tive Limited | Love Ajagbe-Ayankola | Footwear & Manufacturing: Nigerian brand producing locally made footwear to boost domestic fashion supply chains. |
| Runner-Up (₦250,000) | Glow By Zahra Essentials | Thaniyat Afolabi | Skincare & Wellness: Direct-to-consumer skincare brand focusing on affordable formulations and customer routine education. |
Strategic Objectives: Financial Literacy & Payments Infrastructure
Beyond the immediate cash prize, the initiative enforced operational digital standards across the applicant pool:
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Mandatory Digital Payments: Applicants were required to integrate an active Flutterwave payment link, storefront, or API checkout into their business model prior to applying.
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Commercial Pitch Training: Founders submitted 60-second video presentations detailing business scalability, unit economics, and growth roadmaps.
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Capital Sourced from Commerce: Funding for the grant was drawn directly from sales proceeds of the Glow by TM product line, demonstrating a direct cycle between consumer retail revenues and SME empowerment.
By equipping micro-entrepreneurs with both seed capital and automated checkout systems, the partnership expands digital payment adoption among young Nigerian founders while driving higher conversion rates for growing SMEs.
