Established in 2015 by Asset & Resource Management Holding Company Limited (ARM) in honor of its founding CEO, the Deji Alli ARM Young Talent Award (DAAYTA) serves as ARM’s flagship corporate social responsibility initiative. Run in operational partnership with TechnoVision’s TVC Labs, DAAYTA provides early-stage Nigerian founders with the financial, educational, and structural capital required to scale socially impactful, market-driven ventures.
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The 2026 cycle marked the 11th anniversary of the program. Applications for the 2026 award opened on November 25, 2025, and officially closed on January 12, 2026. Following multi-stage screening, shortlisted teams completed an intensive Pitch Workshop from April 15 to 16, 2026, leading directly to the Final Pitch Event on April 17, 2026, where the single winning venture was selected.
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A Corporate CSR Initiative With a Genuine Decade-Long History
ARM established DAAYTA specifically to honor its founding CEO, Deji Alli, and to fulfil the firm’s broader Corporate Social Responsibility commitment to nurturing young Nigerian changemakers. The award is administered in partnership with TVC Labs, part of TechnoVision, which handles much of the programme’s operational structure alongside ARM itself. Unlike many corporate-branded youth competitions that run for a few cycles and quietly disappear, DAAYTA has operated continuously for eleven years, which is worth knowing if you’re weighing the credibility of a specific opportunity against how consistently its backing organization has actually delivered on it.
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The award is explicitly framed as more than a cash prize — it’s structured as a full entrepreneurial development journey, combining direct funding with formal education at a recognized Nigerian business school and hands-on acceleration support at a Lagos innovation hub, aimed at genuinely helping the winner scale a real business rather than simply rewarding a strong pitch.
Deji Alli ARM Young Talent Award (DAAYTA) Summary
| Scholarship Name ⇒ | Deji Alli ARM Young Talent Award (DAAYTA) |
| Host Country ⇒ | Nigeria |
| Study Level ⇒ | Competitions |
| Benefits ⇒ | ₦12,000,000 support package over one year — funding, entrepreneurial education, acceleration programme |
| Funded by ⇒ | ARM Limited, in partnership with TVC Labs |
| Eligible Countries ⇒ | Nigeria |
| Application Deadline ⇒ | 2026 cycle opened November 25, 2025, and closed January 12, 2026. Based on this pattern, the 2027 (12th anniversary) cycle is likely to open around late November 2026 |
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for DAAYTA, applicants generally need to meet the following:
- You must be a Nigerian citizen
- You must be between 18 and 35 years of age
- Your application must represent original work
- You must have a genuine Minimum Viable Product — meaning evidence of a working product with actual paying customers, not simply an idea or prototype
- Your business must be a limited liability company, duly incorporated in Nigeria
- You must be running the company on a full-time basis, not as a side project
- You must be physically available to fully participate in the award programmes, including entrepreneurial education and acceleration activities
- You must be available, physically or virtually, for the full 5-month acceleration support programme
- You must be able to fund your own or your team’s travel expenses and other associated costs, if required
- You must be available for the 2-day Pitch Workshop and Final Pitch Event, historically held in Lagos in mid-to-late April
- You must genuinely understand ARM’s business values, since winners are expected to represent ARM as an ambassador going forward
Because the MVP requirement specifically demands evidence of paying customers rather than just a functioning prototype, applicants with strong ideas but no actual revenue or customer traction yet are likely to fall short of this specific bar, regardless of how compelling their concept is.
What the Deji Alli ARM Young Talent Award (DAAYTA) Covers
The 2026 winner received a comprehensive ₦12,000,000 support package, disbursed over one year, structured around three core components:
- Funding to develop and refine a robust business plan, tailored specifically for growth and long-term sustainability
- Full participation in a certificate programme in entrepreneurial education at Pan-Atlantic University’s Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) in Lagos, one of Nigeria’s more established business training institutions
- A 5-month acceleration programme at a top-tier Lagos innovation hub, providing hands-on support to expand and scale the business
Beyond the formal training and acceleration components, DAAYTA has also run a related Certificate in Entrepreneurial Management (CEM) programme following the main award cycle, combining self-paced online learning with facilitator-led sessions, running roughly June/July through November/December — extending the winner’s structured support well beyond the initial acceleration phase.
Required Documents
Applications for the Deji Alli ARM Young Talent Award (DAAYTA) are hosted and processed digitally via the Venture Capital for Africa (VC4A) platform. Because DAAYTA is a corporate grant scheme evaluating commercial viability and socio-economic impact, selection committees at ARM and TVC Labs strictly audit legal compliance and financial traction.
To construct a complete dossier on VC4A, applicants must upload and submit the following mandatory items:
1. Completed VC4A Online Application Form
The central digital form detailing company background, founder demographics, problem-solution architecture, target market size, business model, and SDG-aligned impact metrics.
2. Proof of Identity & Nigerian Citizenship
A clear scan of a valid government-issued photo ID (National Identity Number/NIN Slip, International Passport, Voter’s Card, or Driver’s License) verifying that the lead applicant is a Nigerian citizen aged 18 to 35.
3. CAC Business Incorporation Documents
Official corporate registration records from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) proving incorporation as a Limited Liability Company (RC/LTD) in Nigeria. Required uploads include the Certificate of Incorporation, Status Report (or CAC Form 1.1/2/7), and Memorandum and Articles of Association (MEMART).
4. MVP Technical Overview & Product Demonstrations
A comprehensive technical breakdown of your Minimum Viable Product (MVP). Applicants must provide active web URLs, app store links, software demo videos, or high-resolution photo documentation showing the product or service actively deployed in the market.
5. Audited Traction Records & Revenue Evidence
Concrete evidence verifying active, paying customer usage. Acceptable proof includes monthly sales ledgers, corporate invoices, bank transaction receipts, payment gateway analytics (e.g., Paystack or Flutterwave dashboard exports), or signed B2B service level agreements (SLAs).
6. Comprehensive Business Plan & 3-Year Financial Model
A detailed PDF document covering market analysis, operational roadmap, unit economics, risk mitigation strategies, and 36-month pro-forma financial projections (cash flow, income statements, and break-even analysis).
7. A 5-Minute Pitch Deck Video
A short pitch presentation or unlisted video link introducing the founding team, demonstrating the live product, explaining the business model, and outlining how the ₦12,000,000 funding will be allocated across working capital, EDC executive education, and TVC Labs acceleration.
How to Apply for the Next Cycle
The 2026 cycle is closed, but ARM has run this award on a highly consistent annual schedule for over a decade:
- Watch ARM’s official website (arm.com.ng) for the announcement of the next DAAYTA cycle, historically opening in late November.
- Confirm your business genuinely meets the MVP requirement, with real, documented customer traction, not simply a concept or prototype.
- Ensure your business is properly incorporated as a limited liability company in Nigeria, and that you’re operating it full-time.
- Prepare a detailed business plan and gather supporting documentation demonstrating your venture’s operational status and social or economic impact.
- Submit your complete application through the official DAAYTA application portal before the stated deadline, historically in mid-January.
- If shortlisted, prepare for a rigorous evaluation process, including pitch workshops in the lead-up to a final pitch event, historically held in Lagos in mid-to-late April.
Application Deadline
The 2026 cycle’s application window opened November 25, 2025, and closed January 12, 2026. The Pitch Workshop ran April 15 to 16, 2026, followed by the Final Pitch Event on April 17, 2026 — all now concluded, with this year’s winner already partway through their one-year support package. Based on DAAYTA’s consistent eleven-year pattern, the 2027 cycle is likely to open around late November 2026, closing in mid-January 2027, though applicants should confirm exact dates directly on ARM’s official website once announced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the DAAYTA 2026 award still accepting applications?
No. The 2026 cycle closed on January 12, 2026, and the winner has already been selected following the April 2026 pitch events. Based on the consistent annual pattern, the next cycle is expected to open around late November 2026.
How many winners are selected each year?
Just one. DAAYTA is a single-winner award, not a cohort-based programme distributing funding across multiple recipients.
Is DAAYTA funding a grant or a loan?
A grant-style support package, not a loan. It’s awarded based on innovation, feasibility, and impact potential, with no repayment required.
Do I need existing paying customers to apply, or is an idea enough?
You need a genuine Minimum Viable Product with evidence of actual paying customers — an idea alone, without demonstrated customer traction, does not meet the eligibility bar.
Is DAAYTA open to entrepreneurs outside Nigeria?
No. Applicants must be Nigerian citizens with a business duly incorporated in Nigeria.
What’s expected of the winner beyond receiving funding?
The winner is expected to fully participate in the entrepreneurial education and acceleration components, and to represent ARM as a brand ambassador going forward, reflecting the programme’s values-driven design.
Disclaimer: All programme details, deadlines, and eligibility criteria in this post were verified from official sources as of August 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on ARM’s official website before applying. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with ARM Limited.
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