Image credit: Cascador / FMYD / NiYA
Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Youth Development (FMYD), through the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA), has partnered with Cascador on a founders programme combining entrepreneurship training, investment readiness and up to ₦5 million in non-dilutive funding for selected young Nigerian entrepreneurs. [1]
The NiYA × Cascador Founders Program begins with 20 early-stage Nigerian founders. Over four weeks, participants are expected to receive training, mentorship and support designed to move businesses from early-stage development towards greater investment readiness. [1]
Eight of the highest-performing founders can receive up to ₦5 million each in non-dilutive funding from Cascador. Unlike conventional equity investment, the funding does not require the selected founders to give up an ownership stake in their businesses. [1][2]
Applications for the pilot opened on 19 August 2026 and, according to NiYA’s published programme information, closed on 21 August 2026. The application window has therefore ended, but the programme remains relevant as an example of Nigeria’s efforts to connect youth entrepreneurship training more directly with capital and business support. [3]
How the NiYA-Cascador Founders Programme Works
The pilot is structured around a cohort of 20 early-stage founders. The programme is intended to include entrepreneurs who may not yet have formal business registration or an established financial track record, potentially widening access beyond founders who are already connected to established investment networks. [1]
The four-week programme combines in-person activity in Abuja with virtual engagement and one-to-one mentorship.
Training is focused on areas including:
- business fundamentals;
- investment readiness;
- business structuring;
- pitch preparation;
- mentorship and founder development.
NiYA and FMYD are responsible for participant sourcing and programme delivery, while Cascador contributes to eligibility criteria, investment-readiness support, pitch assessment and funding for selected participants. [1]
How Much Funding Is Available?
At the end of the programme, eight top-performing founders are eligible to receive up to ₦5 million each. [1]
| Programme | Details |
|---|---|
| Pilot cohort | 20 founders |
| Programme duration | 4 weeks |
| Founders selected for funding | 8 |
| Maximum funding per selected founder | Up to ₦5 million |
| Maximum potential funding across 8 founders | Up to ₦40 million |
| Funding structure | Non-dilutive |
The ₦40 million figure represents the theoretical maximum if all eight selected founders receive the full ₦5 million allocation; it should not be interpreted as a confirmed total disbursement.
The non-dilutive structure is significant for early-stage founders because it allows recipients to obtain capital without surrendering equity as a condition of the award.
Selected Founders Will Also Receive Business Systems Support
Funding is only one component of the programme.
The eight selected founders are also expected to receive an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution intended to help them structure, manage and scale their businesses. [1]
The combination of capital and operational support reflects an important challenge in early-stage entrepreneurship: funding alone does not necessarily create a scalable company.
Young businesses also need financial controls, operational processes, management systems and the ability to demonstrate performance to future investors or lenders.
From Entrepreneurship Training to Investment Readiness
The partnership is intended to address the gap between entrepreneurship training and access to practical business opportunities.
FMYD has argued that skills development needs to be connected to enterprise creation and sustainable economic participation rather than treated as an end in itself. [1]
Cascador’s role adds a private-sector investment-readiness component to the government-backed youth-development infrastructure.
Trish Thomas, CEO of Cascador, described the partnership as an attempt to create a practical bridge between the ideation stage and capital readiness.
Oyin Solebo, COO of Cascador and former Managing Director of the ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator, has also highlighted the potential for combining government-led founder development with private-sector capital and expertise.
Who Is the Programme Designed For?
The pilot focuses on early-stage Nigerian youth entrepreneurs.
One notable feature is that the programme is designed to consider founders who may not yet have the formal structures normally associated with investment-ready companies. [1]
This matters because many young entrepreneurs begin operating informally or with limited access to professional networks, formal finance and experienced advisers.
Bringing such founders into a structured programme can help them develop the systems and presentation required to engage more effectively with investors, lenders, customers and business partners.
At the same time, participation in an accelerator or funding programme does not guarantee that a business will become commercially successful. Long-term outcomes will depend on factors including product-market fit, execution, financial management, competition and access to customers.
Pitch Day and Selection of the Eight Founders
The programme culminates in a Pitch Day organised by NiYA and FMYD.
Participants are expected to apply the business and investment-readiness skills developed during the programme when presenting their ventures.
Eight of the highest-performing founders will then be selected for Cascador’s non-dilutive funding and additional business systems support. [1][2]
All 20 participants who complete the pilot are expected to retain NiYA alumni status and receive priority consideration for future opportunities.
Applications for the Pilot Are Now Closed
The original programme announcement stated that applications would open on 19 August 2026.
NiYA’s subsequently published programme information listed Friday, 21 August 2026 as the application deadline. [3]
As of 24 August 2026, applicants should therefore not assume that applications for this pilot remain open.
Entrepreneurs interested in future cohorts should follow official FMYD and NiYA channels for any subsequent application windows rather than relying on the original August announcement.
How the Programme Fits Into Nigeria’s Wider NiYA Strategy
The Cascador partnership sits within a considerably larger youth-development programme.
NiYA states that its wider ambition is to train and empower 7 million Nigerian young people within two years. [3]
The platform covers entrepreneurship, skills development, employment opportunities and initiatives intended to connect young Nigerians with economic opportunities.
NiYA has also been developing startup pitch programmes as part of this wider entrepreneurship strategy. Official programme information says an earlier Startup Pitch initiative attracted more than 14,000 applications, while Startup Pitch 2.0 is designed around 100 startups and a broader funding pool. [3]
These programmes indicate an effort to build a pipeline rather than rely on a single funding competition.
Why Non-Dilutive Funding Matters for Early-Stage Founders
For very early-stage businesses, access to capital can be difficult because they may lack revenue history, collateral or the documentation required by conventional lenders.
Equity investment can provide an alternative, but founders then surrender part of their ownership.
Non-dilutive funding can therefore be particularly useful at an early stage because it provides capital without an immediate equity cost.
However, grant-style or non-dilutive funding is normally limited and competitive. It should be viewed as one component of a company’s financing strategy rather than a permanent substitute for sustainable revenue, debt or future investment.
About Cascador
Cascador is a Nigeria-focused platform working with entrepreneurs and companies seeking to scale businesses with economic and social impact.
The organisation operates founder-development programmes and also has investment activities through its broader ecosystem.
Cascador states that since 2019 it has supported dozens of companies that have subsequently raised substantial amounts of capital. Such portfolio and fundraising figures are organisation-reported and should be understood as Cascador’s own performance information rather than independently audited programme outcomes.
What the Partnership Could Mean for Nigerian Youth Entrepreneurship
Nigeria has a large young population and a substantial entrepreneurial economy, but access to structured training, capital and investor networks remains uneven.
Programmes such as NiYA-Cascador attempt to address several of those constraints simultaneously by combining founder education, mentorship, business systems and potential financing.
The pilot’s longer-term significance will depend on measurable outcomes after the programme: how many participating businesses survive, generate revenue, create employment, attract further capital and develop sustainable operations.
If the model produces credible results, it could provide a basis for larger cohorts or similar public-private entrepreneurship programmes.
For now, the 20-founder pilot provides a relatively small but concrete test of whether government youth-development infrastructure and private founder support can be combined to move Nigerian entrepreneurs from early-stage ideas toward stronger, financeable businesses.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NiYA-Cascador Founders Programme?
It is a pilot entrepreneurship programme developed by Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Youth Development and Nigerian Youth Academy in partnership with Cascador. It combines founder training, mentorship, investment readiness and potential non-dilutive funding. [1]
How many Nigerian founders will participate?
The initial cohort consists of 20 early-stage founders. [1]
How much funding can founders receive?
Eight top-performing founders can receive up to ₦5 million each from Cascador. [1][2]
Does Cascador take equity for the ₦5 million funding?
The funding has been described as non-dilutive, meaning recipients do not surrender an ownership stake as a condition of receiving the award. [1][2]
Are applications still open?
No. Official NiYA programme information listed 21 August 2026 as the application deadline for this pilot. Entrepreneurs should monitor NiYA and FMYD for future opportunities. [3]
What happens to founders who do not receive funding?
All 20 founders who complete the programme are expected to retain NiYA alumni status and receive priority consideration for future opportunities. [1]
Sources and Information
[1] Federal Ministry of Youth Development (FMYD), Nigeria. “FMYD, NiYA Partner with Cascador to Link Young Nigerian Founders to Capital,” 14 August 2026.
Official FMYD announcement
[2] Africa Business Communities. “FMYD, NiYA partner with Cascador to fund Nigerian youth-led startups,” August 2026.
Independent programme coverage
[3] Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA) / Federal Ministry of Youth Development. Official programme information, application dates and wider NiYA entrepreneurship initiatives.
Official NiYA information
[4] Cascador. Organisation and founder-development programme information.
Cascador official website