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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Economy & Trade

Cascador backs 10 Nigerian growth-stage companies

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Cascador selected 10 Nigerian growth-stage companies from more than 1,000 applicants for its 12-week 2026 ScaleUp Programme.
  • The programme will provide investor and expert support, training, a live pitch competition with $50,000 in prizes, and eligibility for follow-on funding from Cascador’s Catalytic Fund.
  • Cascador said 60% of the cohort’s businesses are led by women and that the companies operate across sectors including healthcare, agriculture, clean energy and financial technology.

Ten Nigerian companies will receive investor access, expert guidance and strategic support through Cascador’s 2026 ScaleUp Programme, selected from more than 1,000 applications nationwide.

The 12-week programme targets growth-stage businesses in healthcare, agriculture, clean energy, food production, beauty, tourism, wellness, financial technology and critical minerals. The selected companies are Venco, SunFi, ColdHubs, EHA Clinics, Beauty Hut Africa, BEYOND Fitness, Ziba Beach Resort, Tulay Africa, Maanj Agric and Finger Chops.

We’re incredibly proud to be part of Cascador’s 2026 ScaleUp Programme. The mentorship, resources and networks the program provides will accelerate our growth to transform how residential and commercial communities operate across Africa.

· Chude OsiegbuVenco’s chief executive and co-founder described the expected value of joining the programme.

Cascador said the businesses had already demonstrated traction and were positioned to expand, create jobs and contribute to economic growth. Participants will receive two weeks of in-person sessions, including the opening and pitch week, followed by 10 weeks of virtual sessions for founders and their leadership teams. They will also compete on Live Pitch Day for $50,000 in prizes.

As we scale, our goal is to bring our secure and efficient technology platform to more communities across new cities and countries, giving the managers who run them better tools to serve their residents.

· Chude OsiegbuOsiegbu outlined Venco’s expansion plans.

The companies will qualify for possible follow-on funding through Cascador’s Catalytic Fund, which deploys up to $5 million a year in growth capital through local-currency debt, equity and guarantees in partnership with Sterling Bank. Cascador said 60% of the new cohort is led by women, while the founders come from five of Nigeria’s six geopolitical regions.

Chude Osiegbu, chief executive and co-founder of Venco, said the programme would help his company expand its technology platform for residential and commercial communities. “As we scale, our goal is to bring our secure and efficient technology platform to more communities across new cities and countries, giving the managers who run them better tools to serve their residents.” Cascador CEO Trish Thomas said the founders represented the ambition and entrepreneurial talent driving Nigeria’s economy and that the programme would help them prepare for their next phase of expansion.

The founders in our 2026 ScaleUp programme reflect the ambition, resilience and entrepreneurial talent driving Nigeria’s economy forward.

· Trish ThomasCascador’s CEO described the selected companies and their role in the programme.
About this summary

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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