Deji Alli Young Talent Award (DAAYTA) 2026

The Deji Alli ARM Young Talent Award (DAAYTA) marks its 11th anniversary this year, celebrating a decade of empowering young Nigerian entrepreneurs. Established by ARM in 2015 in honour of its founding CEO, Deji Alli, DAAYTA aims to provide young Nigerians with an opportunity to develop innovative start-up ventures that contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth. 

The Deji Alli ARM Young Talent Award is an ARM initiative in partnership with TechnoVision’s TVC Labs that aims to provide young Nigerians with an opportunity to develop innovative start-up ventures that add sustainable economic value to Nigeria.

The DAAYTA 2026 initiative is in line with ARM’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to build a generation of change leaders who will work together to build a better future. It combines innovation and impact in perfect alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and seeks to support innovative thinkers with business ideas that intentionally create a positive societal impact while generating a financial return and driving economic growth. 

These innovative ideas must be forward-thinking, improve livelihoods, and make the planet healthier. Again, DAAYTA 2026 welcomes registered and innovative start-ups with an MVP (minimum viable product) and a customer base from essential sectors like agriculture, education, healthcare, housing, and transportation.

The past editions of the DAAYTA initiative have better and uniquely positioned. Start-ups like WeSabi (2019), The Paper Packaging Company Limited (TPPC) (2020), Scrapays Technologies Ltd (2021), D-Olivette Enterprise (2022), Natibo Technologies Nig. Ltd (2023), Goods and Services 360 Ltd (2024), Mariam Grey Pharmacy (2025) to deliver their vision to Nigeria, Africa, and the world at large.

DAAYTA 2026 Pre-Pitch workshops and Award presentations will be held virtually in April, in Lagos, Nigeria. We are delighted to welcome applications from duly incorporated limited liability companies from all parts of Nigeria.

Click here to read about:

• The ARM Group & Subsidiaries
• Previous DAAYTA event videos, pictures, etc.
• TVC Labs and the POEM Framework

APPLICATION CRITERIA
To be eligible for the award, the applicant must:

• be a citizen of Nigeria
• be between 18 and 35 years of age
• submit their application which must be their original work
• have an MVP (minimum viable product) i.e., you have customers
• must be a limited liability company duly incorporated in Nigeria
• must be operating the company on a full-time basis
• must commit to being physically available to fully participate in the DAAYTA programs and
  activities – Entrepreneurial education programme at the Pan Atlantic
  University’s Enterprise Development Centre in Lagos, Nigeria
• must commit to be available (physically or virtually) to participate in the 5-month
  acceleration support for the development of their venture
• be able to fund his/her/team’s travel expenses and other associated costs if required
• be virtually available (with co-founders/team where they exist) for the 2-day Pitch Workshop scheduled for April 15 – 16, 2026 (Wednesday & Thursday), and Final Pitch
  Event scheduled for Friday, 17 April, 2026
• understand the business of ARM, what we stand for, and
• be ready to represent ARM as an Ambassador

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the next stages of the program.
Application Opens: Tuesday, November 25th, 2025
New Deadline for Submission: Wednesday, January 21st, 2026

PRIZES 

The winner of DAAYTA 2026 shall, subject to the Terms & Conditions, receive funding of₦12,000,000 (twelve million naira)over one (1) year for the following purposes:

• contribution to working capital
• participation in an entrepreneurial education program at the Pan Atlantic University’s
  Enterprise Development Centre in Lagos, Nigeria
• 5-month acceleration support services for the development of their venture by TVC Labs.

For more information on eligibility criteria, kindly refer to theTerms &Conditions here. You can also view the FAQs below.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why is ARM running the Deji Alli ARM Young Talent Award 2026?

The Deji Alli ARM Young Talent Award (DAAYTA) program was inaugurated by ARM in honor of its founding CEO in 2015 to promote lifelong learning by helping young Nigerian graduates and undergraduates bring ideas to life.

The initiative is in line with the organization’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) to build a generation of change leaders, working together to build a better future. 

Who is eligible to participate?

To be eligible for the award, the applicant must:

• be a citizen of Nigeria
• be between 18 and 35 years of age
• submit their application which must be their original work
• have an MVP (minimum viable product) i.e. you have customers
• must be a limited liability company duly incorporated in Nigeria
• must be operating the company on a full-time basis
• must commit to being physically available to fully participate in the DAAYTA programs and
  activities – Entrepreneurial education programme at the Pan Atlantic University’s Enterprise Development Centre in Lagos, Nigeria
• must commit to be available (physically or virtually) to participate in the 5-month acceleration support for the development of their venture
• be able to fund his/her/team’s travel expenses and other associated costs if required
• be virtually available (with co-founders/team where they exist) for the 2-day Pitch Workshop scheduled for April 15 – 16, 2026 (Wednesday & Thursday) and Final Pitch Event scheduled for Friday 17, April, 2026
• understand the business of ARM, what we stand for, and
• be ready to represent ARM as an Ambassador

For more information on eligibility criteria, kindly refer to the Terms & Conditions here.

Are there focus areas for DAAYTA 2026?

We invite innovative ideas across a range of impactful sectors, including Agriculture,
Education, Healthcare, Housing, Information Technology, Clean Technology, and Transportation.

When is the deadline for submissions?

The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, January 21st, 2026.

What prize(s) does the winner of the Deji Alli ARM Young Talent Award 2026 receive?

The winner of the DAAYTA 2026 Programme will, subject to the Terms & Conditions, receive Funding of N12,000,000 (twelve million naira)over a one (1) year period for the following purposes:

• contribution to working capital.
• Participation in an entrepreneurial education programme at the Pan Atlantic University’s
  Enterprise Development Centre in Lagos, Nigeria
• Receive a 5-month acceleration support service for the development of their venture by
  TVC Labs.

The second stage of the program will require the shortlisted applicants to submit a POEM
Framework business plan, a Marketing/pitching video, detailed profiles of their Board (Directors and advisers), and Team members, sharing their Education, Careers, Key Accomplishments, and LinkedIn profiles.

Kindly refer to the Terms and Conditions for more details.

Where can I view the full terms and conditions for the Deji Alli ARM Young Talent Award 2026?

You can view the full terms and conditions for the Deji Alli ARM Young Talent Award 2026 here. 

What do I need to know about the entrepreneurial education programme?

The Certificate in Entrepreneurial Management (CEM) program, offered by the Enterprise Development Centre at Pan-Atlantic University in Lagos, Nigeria, is designed to equip entrepreneurs with the skills and insights needed to drive business growth.

This 4–5 month program combines self-paced online learning with facilitator-led sessions and in-class experiences, providing participants with immediate access to expert business advisory services. Scheduled to run from June/July to November/December following DAAYTA, the CEM program delivers a transformative and impactful learning experience that empowers entrepreneurs to achieve remarkable growth and success.

About ARM
Established in 1994 as an asset management firm, Asset & Resource Management Holding Company Limited (ARM) has evolved into one of Nigeria’s most innovative and respected non-bank financial institutions with a focus on Traditional Asset Management and Specialized Funds. ARM is a leading investment management firm that provides a diverse range of asset management services to a substantial and diversified client base that includes corporations, foundations and charities, high net-worth individuals, and small savers. See https://www.arm.com.ng/ for more details.
Please read about our CSR Initiatives on ourwebsite.

About TVC Labs
TVC Labs is the early-stage entrepreneurship support organization brand name for TechnoVision Communications Limited, a technology services company that advises clients on
technology-led transformation and early-stage entrepreneurship in Africa.
Read more on our website.