Cascador and Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) Announce Strategic Partnership to Empower Nigerian Entrepreneurs
Lagos, Nigeria – March 24, 2025: Cascador, the premier accelerator for mid-stage Nigerian entrepreneurs, and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (‘NSIA’ or ‘The Authority’) – the premier investment institution of the Federation with a three-fold mandate to create a savings base for future generations of Nigerians, catalyse positive socio-economic outcomes through strategic domestic infrastructure investments and provide fiscal support in times of economic distress – have formed a strategic partnership to drive innovation and support homegrown solutions with the potential for transformative impact. This collaboration represents a major step in both organizations’ shared mission to accelerate sustainable economic growth, expand opportunities for Nigerian entrepreneurs and reposition them for global relevance.
“By leveraging NSIA’s institutional expertise and Cascador’s track record of developing high-impact entrepreneurs, this partnership unlocks new opportunities for Nigerian business leaders tackling pressing societal challenges,” said Dave DeLucia, Founder of Cascador.
“NSIA remains committed to expanding economic opportunities and advancing innovation as a key component of National development. We believe that supporting high-potential entrepreneurs is pivotal to driving sustainable economic growth. Correspondingly, our collaboration with Cascador aligns with our overall strategy to meaningfully create value in Nigeria, said Aminu Umar-Sadiq, Managing Director of NSIA.
Enhanced Opportunities for Entrepreneurs
The partnership comes as Cascador launches its $2 million annual Catalytic Fund designed to provide growth capital to alumni of its program, and follows NSIA’s launch of the third edition of the NSIA Prize for Innovation programme tailored to support early stage businesses within Agriculture, Healthcare and Education. NSIA’s involvement will further enhance the support available to promising entrepreneurs.
Applications for Cascador’s Catalytic Fund 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 NSIA Prize for Innovation – an initiative focused on encouraging youth entrepreneurship through funding, mentorship, peer to peer knowledge exchange and high impact networking.
Cascador Supports the Third Edition of the NSIA Prize for Innovation (NPI 3.0).
TheNSIA Prize for Innovation is a multi-year initiative dedicated to supporting early-stage businesses with the potential for transformative impact. The competition, which is currently open for applications until 5th April, 2025, aims to identify, build, and finance early-stage innovative solutions that have the potential to catalyze economic growth, enhance the nation’s productive capacity, and create jobs.
NPI 3.0 offers Nigerian innovators the opportunity to win:
- A combined prize value of $220,000
- Dedicated Cascador Prize for Impact valued at $45,000 with winners selected by Cascador representatives at the award ceremony for NPI finalists
- Five-week, all-expenses-paid training program in Silicon Valley, USA
- Enhanced visibility for portfolio companies through joint promotional activities
- Access to NSIA’s extensive network of partners and resources
This year’s focus sectors include Healthcare, Education, and Agriculture—areas critical to Nigeria’s development and aligned with both organizations’ impact objectives.
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. Our intent is that these prizes accelerate efforts in the business community to make a positive impact on the world.”
Cascador 2025 program applications open 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/.
About Cascador
Cascador is an annual, intensive program focused on developing mid-stage Nigerian entrepreneurs who are scaling mission-driven companies. Through a unique blend of education, mentoring, and personalized support, Cascador empowers entrepreneurs to make a positive impact through job creation, innovation, and development of opportunities for underprivileged and marginalized communities. Since its launch in 2019, Cascador alumni have collectively raised over $55 million USD in capital and are actively transforming their communities for the better. Learn more at cascador.org.
About NSIA
The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority is an investment institution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, established by the Nigeria Sovereign Wealth Act (2011), to manage and invest in a diversified portfolio of medium and long-term funds. Its mission is to play a leading role in driving sustained economic development for the benefit of all Nigerians through building a savings base for the Nigerian people, enhancing the development of Nigeria’s infrastructure, and providing stabilization support in times of economic stress.
NSIA operates three distinct funds, the Stabilization Fund, the Future Generations Fund, and the Nigeria Infrastructure Fund. For more information, please visit www.nsia.com.ng
