NiYA Cascador Founders Programme: How To Apply For FG’s ₦5m Youth Entrepreneur Initiative
The Federal Government has launched a new initiative that will provide up to ₦5 million in non-dilutive funding to selected young Nigerian entrepreneurs, with applications set to open on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.
The programme, known as the NiYA × Cascador Founders Programme, is a partnership between the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA), operating under the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, and private firm Cascador. Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, announced the initiative on his Facebook page on Friday, August 14, 2026, describing it as a deliberate effort to help young founders strengthen their businesses, become investment-ready and gain meaningful access to funding.
Under the pilot scheme, selected early-stage entrepreneurs will undergo an intensive four-week programme covering business fundamentals, investment readiness, pitch preparation and one-on-one mentorship. At the end of the programme, the best-performing participants will receive up to ₦5 million each in non-dilutive funding from Cascador, meaning beneficiaries will not be required to give up equity in their businesses in exchange for the support. Beyond the cash grant, successful founders will also receive an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution designed to help them better organise, manage and scale their operations going forward.
Explaining the thinking behind the initiative, Olawande said it was developed specifically to address a common obstacle facing young entrepreneurs: the difficulty of moving from training and business ideas to actual access to capital. “We do not want to stop at training. We want to build a stronger bridge from learning to enterprise, from ideas to investment readiness, and from potential to sustainable businesses,” the minister said. He added that the partnership followed a series of engagements between the ministry and Cascador, including a meeting he personally hosted on April 29, 2026, describing the programme as a practical example of how collaboration between government and private-sector organisations can translate into real opportunities for Nigerian youths.
For young Nigerians interested in participating, applications for the NiYA × Cascador Founders Programme officially open on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, and can be submitted through the Nigerian Youth Academy’s official website. Prospective applicants are advised to closely monitor the platform once applications open, as the eligibility requirements, application form and submission guidelines will be published there.
It is important for interested applicants to note that the ₦5 million funding is not a guaranteed payout for everyone who applies. Only founders who complete the full four-week programme and rank among the top performers will be shortlisted and considered for the grant, meaning the process is competitive rather than automatic. The initiative forms part of a broader push by the current administration to expand access to youth entrepreneurship support, and follows other recent federal interventions targeted at young business owners, including a separate SMEDAN-administered loan scheme offering single-digit interest facilities of up to ₦5 million to thousands of micro, small and medium enterprises nationwide. Further details on the NiYA × Cascador programme, including specific eligibility criteria, are expected to be released closer to the August 19 application opening date.
About the Author
