The EU Funding and Tenders Portal open calls 2026 provide funding opportunities for universities, researchers, companies, SMEs, NGOs, public institutions and international partnerships.

Several major calls are still accepting proposals as of 18 September 2026.

Funding is available across areas including:

• Research and innovation
• Artificial intelligence
• Cybersecurity
• Digital transformation
• Climate action
• Renewable energy
• Transport
• Batteries
• Environmental protection
• Health technology
• Regional innovation
• SMEs and deep technology

Some programmes provide millions of euros for individual projects.

However, eligibility varies significantly.

Some calls are restricted to organisations established in the European Union or associated countries. Others, particularly under Horizon Europe, permit organisations from eligible third countries to participate and receive EU funding.

Nigeria is particularly relevant here.

The European Commission's 2026 Horizon Europe country guidance lists Nigeria among the low- and middle-income countries automatically eligible for funding, unless the conditions of a specific call provide otherwise.

Therefore, Nigerian universities, research organisations, NGOs, companies and other institutions should not automatically assume that EU research funding is restricted to organisations based in Europe.

What Is the EU Funding and Tenders Portal?

The EU Funding and Tenders Portal is the European Commission's central platform for funding programmes and procurement opportunities.

It is used to find opportunities, register organisations, build consortium applications, submit proposals and manage funded projects.

For Horizon Europe, for example, the European Commission states that calls, deadlines, application forms and other information needed to apply are available through the portal.

The portal covers programmes such as:

Horizon Europe

This is the EU's major research and innovation programme.

Digital Europe Programme

This supports the deployment and adoption of digital technologies.

LIFE Programme

This focuses on environment, nature, biodiversity, climate and clean-energy-related activities.

Connecting Europe Facility

This supports major transport, energy and digital infrastructure.

Interregional Innovation Investments

This supports collaboration between regional innovation ecosystems.

There are also many other EU programmes.

EU Funding and Tenders Portal Open Calls 2026

Here are examples of important opportunities that remain open as of 18 September 2026.

Call	Area	Deadline
LIFE Standard Action Projects	Environment & Climate	22 Sept. 2026
Horizon Europe Hop-on Facility	Research & Innovation	24 Sept. 2026
Digital Europe semiconductor Skills Hubs	Digital/Skills	24 Sept. 2026
Digital Europe information integrity	Digital	1 Oct. 2026
CEF Transport 2026	Transport	6 Oct. 2026
Horizon Europe Batteries & Mobility	R&I/Mobility	8 Oct. 2026
DeepRAP Cognitive AI Systems	Artificial Intelligence	28 Oct. 2026
CodeSupply Open Call	Open Source/Cybersecurity	3 Nov. 2026
Restack Open Call	Open Internet	3 Nov. 2026
I3 Strand 1	Innovation Investment	12 Nov. 2026
I3 Strand 2a	Innovation Investment	12 Nov. 2026
SYSTEMEU	Health, Energy & Mobility	16 Nov. 2026
Horizon Europe Energy Call	Energy	1 Dec. 2026
UNITE Second Open Call	Digital Health	10 Dec. 2026
EIC Accelerator Short Proposal	Deep Tech/SMEs	17 Dec. 2026
Digital Europe Cybersecurity Calls	Cybersecurity	14 Jan. 2027

Applicants should always verify the individual topic page before starting an application because eligibility, consortium requirements and deadlines differ.

1. LIFE Programme Calls 2026

One of the closest deadlines is the LIFE Calls for Proposals 2026.

Several LIFE opportunities have a deadline of:

22 September 2026

The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency lists calls covering areas including:

• Circular Economy and Zero Pollution
• Environmental Governance
• Nature and Biodiversity
• Nature Governance and Information
• Climate Change Adaptation
• Climate Change Mitigation
• Climate Governance and Information
• Technical Assistance
• Energy and climate policy
• Ecodesign and energy-labelling compliance

The Specific Operating Grant Agreements for eligible non-governmental organisations also have a 22 September 2026 deadline.

Important Deadline Warning

Because the current date is 18 September 2026, applicants have very little time remaining for these calls.

A consortium should not begin preparing a complex LIFE proposal from scratch without first checking whether it can realistically meet the requirements.

LIFE Calls for Proposals 2026

2. Horizon Europe Hop-on Facility 2026

Another call approaching its deadline is the:

HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-03-WIDENING-01 – Hop-on Facility

The deadline is:

24 September 2026

The overall indicative budget is:

€30 million.

Unlike an ordinary Horizon Europe consortium call, the Hop-on Facility allows eligible research institutions from Widening countries to join existing Horizon Europe Pillar II or EIC Pathfinder projects.

The European Commission expects applicants to be informed about selection around December 2026, with amendments to successful projects expected around April 2027.

This call has specific geographic eligibility rules. Applicants should therefore not assume that general Horizon Europe third-country eligibility automatically makes them eligible for the Hop-on Facility.

3. Digital Europe Skills Hubs of Excellence

The Skills Hubs of Excellence call supports academic hubs designed to strengthen education and training in strategic semiconductor technologies.

The call opened on:

7 July 2026

The deadline is:

24 September 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.

Its purpose includes strengthening Europe's semiconductor skills base and improving cooperation between industry and academic institutions.

Again, applicants should check geographic eligibility carefully.

Digital Europe does not follow exactly the same international funding rules as Horizon Europe.

4. Research Support Framework for Information Integrity

This Digital Europe opportunity focuses on developing a common research framework for situational awareness around information integrity.

The programme seeks shared infrastructure, analytical capabilities and research tools that can help stakeholders monitor and understand information manipulation and disinformation.

The deadline is:

1 October 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.

5. Digital Solutions for Regulatory Compliance Through Data

Another Digital Europe call closing on:

1 October 2026

focuses on digital solutions for regulatory compliance.

Projects are expected to explore technologies that can automate regulatory reporting and compliance through areas such as:

• Data sharing
• Artificial intelligence
• Interoperability
• Digital reporting systems

The objective is to reduce administrative burdens while improving transparency and regulatory compliance.

6. CEF Transport Calls for Proposals 2026

The 2026 Connecting Europe Facility Transport calls offer substantial funding.

The total available budget is:

€1.1 billion.

The calls opened on:

18 June 2026

The deadline is:

6 October 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.

Funding focuses on improving and modernising Europe's Trans-European Transport Network.

Supported areas include railway infrastructure, inland waterways and alternative-fuels infrastructure, among other transport priorities.

Applicants must submit proposals electronically through the Funding and Tenders Portal.

2026 CEF Transport Calls

7. Horizon Europe Batteries and Mobility Call 2026

One of the largest currently open Horizon Europe calls is:

HORIZON-CL5-2026-10

It provides:

€263 million

for projects relating to batteries, transport and mobility.

The call opened on:

4 June 2026

Applications close:

8 October 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.

What Does the Call Fund?

There are eight topics.

They include research and innovation relating to:

Next-generation lithium batteries

Projects can address integrated production and product development for advanced lithium-based batteries.

Connected and automated mobility

Funding includes large-scale demonstrations of Cooperative, Connected and Automated Mobility.

Generative AI for mobility

Projects can explore generative AI for areas such as perception, decision-making and validation.

Freight and logistics

Research can improve the competitiveness and resilience of multimodal freight systems and supply chains.

Sustainable urban mobility

Projects can support smarter and more sustainable mobility in European cities.

Road safety

One topic focuses on road safety and resilience in rural areas.

AI and passenger transport

Another supports digital technologies and AI for improving multimodal passenger transport resilience.

This call could be particularly relevant to universities, engineering organisations, AI researchers, transport researchers and technology companies.

8. DeepRAP Trustworthy Cognitive AI Systems

Artificial intelligence researchers should also examine:

DeepRAP: Deep Reasoning, Abstraction & Planning towards Trustworthy Cognitive AI Systems

The call opened:

22 July 2026

and closes:

28 October 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.

It focuses on cognitive AI systems capable of more advanced:

• Reasoning
• Abstraction
• Planning
• Explainability
• Fairness
• Security

Projects are also expected to consider alignment with the EU AI Act and demonstrate solutions at approximately TRL 4.

9. CodeSupply Open Call 2026

The CodeSupply Open Call 2026-11Y opened on:

3 September 2026

The deadline is:

3 November 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time.

This opportunity focuses on strengthening the security of open-source software supply chains.

Areas include:

• Software metadata
• Cybersecurity
• Regulatory compliance
• Open-source infrastructure
• Interoperable software package information

 

10. Restack Open Call 2026

The Restack Open Call 2026-11R also opened on:

3 September 2026

and closes:

3 November 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time.

The programme supports open-source technologies that contribute to a stronger Open Internet Stack.

Its broader goals include:

• Interoperability
• Security
• Vendor independence
• Open digital infrastructure
• European digital sovereignty

 

11. I3 Interregional Innovation Investments Strand 1

The I3-2026-INV1 call is another major opportunity.

It opened:

13 May 2026

and closes:

12 November 2026 at 17:00 CET.

The estimated available budget is:

€28.2 million.

Individual project grants can reach:

Up to €10 million.

The programme focuses on interregional innovation investments.

Projects should bring together innovation actors from different regions and move relatively mature innovations toward:

• Demonstration
• Commercialisation
• Deployment
• Scale-up
• Market uptake

Projects generally begin from at least:

TRL 6.

The programme gives particular attention to companies and SMEs.

Another significant 2026 change is that the maximum amount an SME can receive through financial support to third parties has increased from €60,000 to:

€100,000.

12. I3 Interregional Innovation Investments Strand 2a

The related:

I3-2026-INV2a

call also closes:

12 November 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.

Strand 2a focuses particularly on helping less-developed and transition regions participate in interregional innovation value chains.

Projects can support activities including:

• Technology transfer
• Innovation deployment
• Commercialisation
• Cross-border collaboration
• Business development

 

13. SYSTEMEU Open Call 2026

A newly opened opportunity is the:

SYSTEMEU Open Call for Interregional Innovation Proposals.

It was published on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal on:

15 September 2026

and closes:

16 November 2026 at 17:00 CET.

The programme has:

€7.55 million

available.

It expects to support approximately:

Five to eight interregional projects.

SYSTEMEU Funding Areas

The programme covers three major sectors.

Digital Health and Medtech

Projects can develop digital and deep-tech technologies that improve clinical workflows, diagnostics and healthcare services.

Clean and Smart Energy

Solutions can address:

• Decentralised energy
• Clean energy networks
• Smart energy systems
• Data
• Software
• Optimisation
• Energy resilience

Intelligent Transport and Logistics

Projects can address digital technologies for:

• Public transportation
• Logistics
• Autonomous systems
• Supply chains
• Intelligent transport

 

This is one of the newest opportunities on this list.

14. Horizon Europe Energy Call 2026

Another major opportunity is:

HORIZON-CL5-2026-11

The call provides:

€131.5 million

for energy research and innovation.

It opened:

4 August 2026

and closes:

1 December 2026 at 17:00 CET.

Funding Areas

Five topics are included.

They address:

• Sustainable solid biofuels
• Deep geothermal resources
• Innovative photovoltaic applications
• Renewable fuel technologies
• Artificial intelligence and energy data

One particularly interesting topic concerns:

Data sharing to support the training and development of AI foundation models in the energy sector.

This creates opportunities at the intersection of energy, artificial intelligence and data science.

Horizon Europe Energy Call 2026

15. UNITE Digital Health Open Call

The UNITE project's Second Open Call for Interregional Innovation Proposals opened on:

10 September 2026

The deadline is:

10 December 2026 at 17:00 CET.

It focuses on digital health.

Two central challenges are:

1. Deep-tech innovations that can improve equal access to healthcare.
2. Digital innovations addressing healthcare workforce shortages.

 

However, this call has specific regional requirements.

Applicants must therefore verify that their organisation is established in an eligible funding territory before preparing a proposal.

16. EIC Accelerator 2026

Technology startups should also examine the:

EIC Accelerator 2026.

The programme targets startups and SMEs developing disruptive deep technologies with strong international scaling potential.

Funding can include approximately:

Up to €2.5 million in grant funding

plus potential equity investment generally in the range of:

€1 million to €10 million.

The current short-proposal window runs until:

17 December 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.

However, the EIC Accelerator has specific establishment and eligibility conditions. A Nigerian startup should not assume that Nigeria's general Horizon Europe eligibility automatically makes it eligible to apply directly to the Accelerator.

Applicants must examine the EIC-specific eligibility rules.

17. Digital Europe Cybersecurity Calls

Several major cybersecurity calls opened on:

1 September 2026

and remain available until:

14 January 2027.

They include:

CYBER-11-DUALUSE

This supports cybersecurity technologies with both civilian and defence applications.

CYBER-11-EULEG

This supports implementation of EU cybersecurity requirements relating to frameworks including:

• Cyber Resilience Act
• NIS2
• GDPR
• DORA
• Cybersecurity Act
• AI Act

CYBER-11-NCC

This strengthens Europe's National Coordination Centres and cybersecurity ecosystem.

CYBER-11-REGCABH

This focuses on the resilience and security of Europe's undersea cable infrastructure.

 

Can Nigerian Organisations Apply for EU Funding in 2026?

Yes, for some programmes and calls.

But this needs an important qualification.

The European Commission's Horizon Europe rules allow organisations from many countries outside Europe to participate.

The general rule for collaborative Horizon Europe projects is usually a consortium containing at least three independent organisations from three different EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries, with at least one organisation established in an EU Member State. Organisations from additional countries can then participate where permitted.

Nigeria has an additional advantage for Horizon Europe.

The European Commission's 2026 list of participating countries includes:

Nigeria

among third countries automatically eligible for Horizon Europe funding.

This means an eligible Nigerian organisation participating in an appropriate Horizon Europe project may potentially receive EU funding rather than necessarily financing its own participation.

However, applicants must check the individual topic.

A call can impose additional restrictions.

Who in Nigeria Could Potentially Participate?

Depending on the specific Horizon Europe call, potential Nigerian participants could include:

• Universities
• Research institutes
• NGOs
• Civil society organisations
• SMEs
• Technology companies
• Innovation hubs
• Public institutions
• Healthcare institutions
• Agricultural research organisations
• Climate organisations
• Energy organisations

Horizon Europe generally permits different types of organisations to participate provided they possess the operational and financial capacity needed to perform their proposed work.

Can a Nigerian NGO Apply?

Potentially, yes.

An NGO is not automatically excluded simply because it is an NGO.

The more important questions are:

1. Does the particular call permit international partners?
2. Is Nigeria eligible under the call?
3. Does the organisation have the required operational capacity?
4. Does the call require a consortium?
5. Does the consortium meet the minimum EU/associated-country composition?
6. Is the Nigerian organisation's proposed role relevant to the project's objectives?

The specific topic conditions always take precedence over general eligibility.

Can You Apply Alone?

Sometimes, but many Horizon Europe opportunities require a consortium.

For most collaborative calls, the basic structure requires at least:

Three independent legal entities

from three different EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries.

At least one must normally be established in an EU Member State.

A Nigerian organisation can then potentially participate as an additional consortium member when the topic permits it.

This means one of the biggest challenges for Nigerian applicants is often not finding a call.

It is finding the right European consortium.

How to Apply Through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal

The European Commission's application process generally starts by identifying a suitable call on the Funding and Tenders Portal.

After finding the call, carefully read its:

• Topic conditions
• Scope
• Expected outcomes
• Eligibility conditions
• Budget
• Type of action
• Funding rate
• Consortium requirements
• Application forms
• Deadline

The organisation then needs to register through the portal.

For collaborative calls, applicants must establish the required consortium.

The proposal is prepared through the portal and submitted electronically before the deadline.

For Digital Europe calls, the Commission warns that the 17:00 Brussels-time deadline is strict and recommends submitting early rather than waiting until the final minutes.

Finding European Partners

This step is especially important for Nigerian organisations.

The Funding and Tenders Portal includes partner-search functionality.

Applicants can use it to identify organisations with:

• Complementary expertise
• Previous EU project experience
• Relevant infrastructure
• Research capabilities
• Technical skills

The European Commission also recommends using National Contact Points for Horizon Europe support. NCPs can provide practical information, networking assistance and help with finding partners.

How EU Proposals Are Evaluated

The exact evaluation criteria depend on the programme.

For Horizon Europe, proposals commonly focus on three broad dimensions:

Excellence

How strong is the project's research or innovation concept?

Impact

What difference will the project make?

Quality and efficiency of implementation

Can the consortium realistically deliver what it proposes?

Applicants should read the exact evaluation criteria published for their topic rather than assuming every EU call uses identical scoring.

After submission, independent experts may participate in evaluating proposals.

Successful applicants then move toward preparation of a grant agreement defining the project activities, duration, budget, EU contribution and obligations.

Important Advice for Nigerian Applicants

Do not start by writing a generic proposal and then search for an EU call that fits it.

Reverse the process.

First, identify the exact call topic.

Then read its expected outcomes and scope carefully.

Your proposal should demonstrate how the project directly contributes to those expected outcomes.

For Nigerian organisations, international cooperation should also have a clear purpose.

Explain what the Nigerian partner contributes that strengthens the consortium.

This could include:

• Local datasets
• Research expertise
• Field-testing environments
• Access to communities
• African market knowledge
• Climate or biodiversity conditions
• Health research capacity
• Technology pilots
• Policy expertise
• Scaling opportunities

Do not include an international partner merely to make the consortium appear geographically diverse.

EU Funding Calls With the Most Time Remaining

If an organisation is only beginning its search on 18 September 2026, calls closing within a few days may be difficult to prepare properly.

The more realistic opportunities to investigate immediately include those with later deadlines, such as:

Opportunity	Deadline
Horizon Batteries & Mobility	8 Oct. 2026
DeepRAP AI	28 Oct. 2026
CodeSupply	3 Nov. 2026
Restack	3 Nov. 2026
I3 Strand 1	12 Nov. 2026
I3 Strand 2a	12 Nov. 2026
SYSTEMEU	16 Nov. 2026
Horizon Europe Energy	1 Dec. 2026
UNITE Digital Health	10 Dec. 2026
EIC Accelerator Short Proposal	17 Dec. 2026
DIGITAL Cybersecurity	14 Jan. 2027

This is not a ranking of the programmes.

The correct opportunity depends on the applicant's country, organisation type, project, consortium and the eligibility rules of the individual call.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the EU Funding and Tenders Portal?

It is the European Commission's main online system for finding and managing EU funding opportunities and tenders.

Are there EU calls still open in September 2026?

Yes.

Multiple calls remain open with deadlines between September 2026 and January 2027.

Can Nigerians apply for Horizon Europe funding?

Yes, subject to the individual call conditions.

Nigeria appears on the European Commission's 2026 list of third countries automatically eligible for Horizon Europe funding.

Can Nigerian NGOs participate?

Potentially, yes.

NGOs can participate in suitable calls where their legal status, country and proposed activities meet the programme and topic requirements.

Can Nigerian universities participate?

Yes, potentially.

Universities and research organisations are among the types of entities that can participate in Horizon Europe projects.

Does Nigeria's eligibility apply to every EU programme?

No.

This distinction is very important.

Nigeria's automatic funding eligibility discussed above relates specifically to Horizon Europe.

Digital Europe, LIFE, CEF, I3 and other EU programmes have their own geographic and applicant requirements.

Is there an application fee?

EU Funding and Tenders Portal proposal submission itself does not require applicants to pay a consultant or intermediary to access the official portal.

Applicants should use official EU sources when registering and submitting proposals.

Do I need European partners?

For many collaborative Horizon Europe projects, yes.

Most collaborative calls require a minimum consortium structure involving independent organisations from EU Member States or associated countries.

Where do I submit a proposal?

Applications are generally submitted electronically through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal.

EU Funding and Tenders Portal – Horizon Europe

Should I wait until the deadline to submit?

No.

The European Commission specifically advises applicants to submit ahead of the deadline rather than waiting until the last moment.

Final Takeaway

The EU Funding and Tenders Portal open calls 2026 still offer substantial opportunities as of 18 September 2026.

Several deadlines are approaching quickly.

The LIFE Programme has calls closing on 22 September 2026, while the Horizon Europe Batteries and Mobility call provides €263 million and closes on 8 October 2026.

Applicants with more preparation time can examine opportunities closing in November and December.

These include the I3 calls, SYSTEMEU digital-transformation call, the €131.5 million Horizon Europe Energy call, UNITE digital health opportunity and other specialised calls.

For Nigerian applicants, Horizon Europe deserves particular attention.

Nigeria is included on the European Commission's 2026 list of third countries automatically eligible for Horizon Europe funding, although the individual call conditions always determine final eligibility.

The best approach is therefore to identify the exact topic first, verify eligibility, study its expected outcomes and consortium requirements, and only then begin developing the proposal.