NSIA, Cascador partner to empower Nigerian entrepreneurs

The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and Cascador, the premier accelerator for mid-stage Nigerian entrepreneurs, have formed a strategic partnership to drive innovation and scale impact-driven businesses across Nigeria.

According to a statement, the partnership comes as Cascador launches its $2 million annual Catalytic Fund, designed to provide growth capital to its program’s alumni. NSIA’s involvement will further enhance the support available to promising entrepreneurs.

“This collaboration represents a major step in both organizations’ shared mission to accelerate sustainable economic growth and expand opportunities for Nigerian entrepreneurs,” the statement said.

This year’s focus sectors include Healthcare, Education, and Agriculture—areas critical to Nigeria’s development and aligned with both organizations’ impact objectives.

Dave DeLucia, founder of Cascador noted that by leveraging NSIA’s institutional expertise and Cascado’s track record of developing high-impact entrepreneurs, the partnership unlocks new opportunities for Nigerian business leaders to tackle pressing societal challenges.

Applications for Cascador’s Alumni Funding Cycle were open only to Cascador alumni who had completed the program. Cascador has produced six cohorts of mission-driven entrepreneurs since 2019.

The program will culminate in a Pitch Day Event on May 14, 2025, where finalists will present their ventures to a distinguished panel of judges and investors, including representatives from NSIA.

A $10,000 NSIA Prize for Innovation will be awarded at the event to the Cascador alumni whose business proposition best exemplifies the spirit of creativity and innovation that NSIA is fostering across Nigeria through the National NSIA Prize for Innovation competition.

Trish Thomas, CEO of Cascador, discussed the financial incentives for entrepreneurs, saying, “Both Cascador and NSIA believe in the power of innovation to create an impact in Nigeria.

“We are sponsoring prizes in each competition to motivate finalists for the NSIA Prize for Innovation and the Cascador Catalytic Fund to focus on leveraging imagination and drive to solve tough challenges. We intend that these prizes accelerate efforts in the business community to make a positive impact on the world.”

Applications for the Cascador 2025 program open on April 1st. To learn more about Cascador and to apply, visit www.cascador.org. Submissions for the NSIA Prize for Innovation close on April 5th. For more information and to apply, visit http://nsia-ip.com/.