If you are a young Nigerian founder who has been waiting for a grant opportunity that does not ask you to give up equity, the NiYA × Cascador Founders Programme is worth your attention.
What the Programme Actually Is
The NiYA × Cascador Founders Programme is a partnership between the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA), under the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, and Cascador, a Nigeria focused platform that works with growth stage founders building businesses with social impact. It is not just a grant. It is a four week intensive programme built around business fundamentals, investment readiness, and pitch preparation, delivered mainly in Abuja with virtual sessions and one on one mentorship layered in.
Twenty early stage founders will make up the pilot cohort. At the end of the four weeks, the eight strongest performers walk away with up to ₦5 million each in non dilutive funding from Cascador, meaning you keep full ownership of your business. Every participant also gets access to an Enterprise Resource Planning solution to help structure and manage the business going forward, and all twenty become NiYA alumni with priority consideration for future opportunities.
Cascador COO Oyin Solebo, who previously ran the ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator, described the model as a blend of government backed entrepreneurship development and private sector capital. Cascador CEO Trish Thomas called it a practical bridge from ideation to real capital readiness.
Who This Is For
You do not need a fully registered business to apply. Founders without formal registration or an established financial track record are still eligible, though you will need to be available to participate in person in Abuja and committed to completing the full four weeks. This makes it a genuinely early stage friendly programme rather than one reserved for founders who already have their paperwork in perfect order.
The 5 Documents You Need Ready
Before you touch the application portal, get these together:
- CAC Registration Certificate
- NiYA Course Certificate
- National Identification Number (NIN) Slip
- A recent passport photograph, clear and on a white background
- Pitch Deck
You will also want a video pitch ready, since the application process includes one alongside the written materials.
How to Apply
Applications go through the official NiYA startup portal. Create your applicant profile, review the grant details and eligibility requirements carefully, then submit through:
startup.niya.gov.ng/fmyd/grants
Given that this is a competitive pilot with only twenty spots and eight funding slots, the quality of your pitch deck and video pitch will matter as much as having your documents in order. Treat the application the way you would treat a real investor pitch, because that is essentially what this is.
Why It Matters
Nigeria has no shortage of early stage founders with good ideas and no shortage of programmes that promise support. What makes this one worth flagging is the non dilutive structure combined with actual operational support in the form of the ERP solution, plus a training curriculum built specifically for founders who are still finding their footing. If you have been building something and have been holding off on applying for funding because you assumed you were not “ready,” this programme is explicitly designed to meet you where you are.
Get your documents in order, build a pitch deck that tells a clear story, and apply.
