Agriarche Limited has won the biggest prize at Cascador Pitch Day 2026 in Lagos. The woman-led agri-tech startup secured a ₦2.5 billion debt credit facility.
Seven Nigerian startups shared over $5 million in funding across multiple sectors. Agriculture, clean energy, AI, and financial intelligence all received backing.
Agriarche connects food processors, aggregators, and exporters to quality agricultural commodities across Northern Nigeria. The company was founded in 2020 by Deina Mayaki.
It operates in nine states spread across three regions: North-West, North-East, and North-Central. More than 25,000 farmers now use the platform actively.
Kasuwa is the company's digital marketplace. It allows food manufacturers and exporters to source, verify, and buy agricultural goods with real-time pricing and seamless payments.
Over 3,000 users access Kasuwa every month for their procurement needs. The platform also integrates logistics and payment solutions in one place.
Mayaki credited Cascador's ScaleUp programme for sharpening her team's strategy. According to her, the support helped refine messaging, market position, and funding approaches.
"The Catalytic Fund team looked at our financial strength and track record," Mayaki noted. "They recognized our potential for growth and impact across Nigeria's agriculture sector."
Cascador's Catalytic Fund operates in partnership with Sterling Bank. It offers debt, equity, guarantees, and collateral support to mid-stage companies in agriculture and other sectors.
The 2026 Pitch Day brought together over 300 investors, lenders, mentors, and ecosystem builders. It was Cascador's second annual event of this kind.
Total funding distributed across all winners reached ₦7.7 billion. An additional $20,000 in prizes went to the seven selected companies.
Agriarche's ₦2.5 billion award was the largest single prize of the day. It reflected the fund's confidence in the startup's financial resilience and impact potential.
The company has supported 25,000 active farmers to date across its network. Women make up 42 percent of the farmers it serves.
Farmers working with Agriarche have cut production costs by an average of 40 percent. Strategic input partnerships and financing ecosystems drive these savings.
Key partners include Propcom+, Trade Lenda, and the Value Seed/Agra Consortium. They provide critical inputs, financial resources, and sustainable assets to smallholder farmers.
Agriarche has delivered 12 training programmes on climate-adapted farming methods. On average, each farmer supported generates five additional jobs in their community.
