By Maryam Aminu
The Federal Ministry of Youth Development (FMYD), through the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA), has partnered with Nigeria-focused entrepreneurship platform Cascador to equip young entrepreneurs with investment-ready skills and provide funding support, with eight outstanding founders set to receive up to ₦5 million each in non-dilutive funding.
The initiative, unveiled on Friday as part of activities marking the 2026 International Youth Day themed “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” is designed to help young Nigerians transition from skills acquisition and business ideas to sustainable enterprises with access to finance.
Announcing the partnership, the Honourable Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, said the programme reflects the Federal Government’s determination to ensure that youth empowerment goes beyond training by creating practical pathways to entrepreneurship, enterprise development and capital.
According to him, while skills development remains important, empowering young people to build viable businesses and access investment opportunities is critical to achieving sustainable economic participation.
He explained that the NiYA and Cascador Founders Programme will begin with a pilot cohort of 20 early-stage Nigerian youth founders, including entrepreneurs who may not yet have formal business registration or established financial records.
Participants will undergo an intensive four-week programme covering business fundamentals, investment readiness, pitch preparation, virtual engagements and one-on-one mentorship sessions.
At the end of the programme, the eight best-performing founders will each receive up to ₦5 million in non-dilutive funding from Cascador, alongside an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution to support the growth and management of their businesses.
The programme will culminate in a Pitch Day organised by NiYA and FMYD, where participants will present their business ideas before a panel of judges.
Comrade Olawande said the pilot aligns with NiYA’s broader target of training and empowering seven million Nigerian youths within two years, while building a stronger link between skills development, entrepreneurship and access to finance.
He noted that the long-term objective is to establish a youth entrepreneurship ecosystem where innovation, preparedness and execution not personal background or existing networks determine access to business opportunities and funding.
Under the partnership, FMYD and NiYA will coordinate participant recruitment, training and programme implementation, while Cascador will support investment-readiness training, eligibility assessment, pitch evaluation and funding for the top-performing entrepreneurs.
Speaking on the collaboration, the Chief Executive Officer of Cascador, Trish Thomas, described the initiative as a practical solution to bridging the gap between innovative ideas and access to investment.
Thomas said the partnership builds on the Federal Ministry of Youth Development’s commitment to empowering millions of young Nigerians by creating a pathway that prepares entrepreneurs for funding opportunities.
Also speaking, the Chief Operating Officer of Cascador and former Managing Director of the ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator, Oyin Solebo, described the collaboration as an innovative model for supporting emerging entrepreneurs.
According to Solebo, combining government-led investment readiness programmes with non-dilutive funding provides young founders with the support needed to transform promising ideas into sustainable businesses.
The pilot programme will be held physically in Abuja, with additional virtual engagements and one-on-one mentorship sessions.
Participants who complete the programme will retain NiYA alumni status and receive priority consideration for future opportunities under relevant NiYA initiatives.
Applications for the programme will open on Wednesday, 19 August 2026, while interested young Nigerian entrepreneurs are expected to apply through the official NiYA portal.
Africa Security Investigation News 