Ten Nigerian Startups Win ₦21m in Grants at SMEDAN–KOICA Innovation Competition Ten Nigerian startups have won a combined ₦21 million in grants at the final pitch competition of the Start-up Innovation Academy (ACE), an entrepreneurship development initiative established by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). Held on October 15, 2026, at the Public Service Institute of Nigeria in Abuja, the competition followed an application process that attracted 3,856 entries. Of these, 120 teams were selected for training in business modelling, digital capabilities and artificial intelligence, with 10…
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Tan Ahmed (Founder & Chief Innovation Officer at @ FundFlex Intelligence + Senior Business Development Manager at Bonham & Brook) Tan Ahmed (Founder & Chief Innovation Officer at @ FundFlex Intelligence + Senior Business Development Manager at Bonham & Brook), has deliberately looked across North, West, East and Southern Africa, as well as funds investing across the continent and shortlised 20 investors worth having on your radar if you’re building a startup in Africa and raising investment: 1. Launch Africa Ventures | Zachariah GeorgePan-African | Seed / pre-Series Ahttps://lnkd.in/eFz89zw52. Ventures Platform | Kola AinaPan-African | Pre-seed / seedhttps://lnkd.in/eQvnwcNr3. LoftyInc Capital…
Applications for the 2027 Anzisha Venture Building Fellowship are officially open, with the application deadline closing on November 10, 2026. Key Details Target Audience: Young African entrepreneurs aged 15 to 22 who are leading and running an active business or project. Time Commitment: Founders must spend at least 20 hours per week working on their venture. Eligibility Requirements: Citizens of an African country with a valid National ID or passport. The primary founder/leader of the business. Demonstrated initiative, courage, and commitment. Fellowship Support: Multi-year venture building program Cash stipends and up to $40,000 in prizes/support funding Financial readiness training and…
Hi African founders! Four opportunities worth checking out if you’re building a business in Africa. There’s a $150,000 innovation prize, free AI support, investor-readiness tools and technical resources that won’t cost you equity. 1. Food & AgTech Innovation Challenge 2026 |Carrot Ventures×XPRIZE Canada HubType: Innovation competition and potential investment.For: Innovators, researchers and startups worldwide, including Africa, developing scalable food and agricultural technologies.Benefits: US$150,000 challenge prize, potential follow-on investment of up to US$1.5 million, commercialisation support and investor exposure.Catch: Investment is subject to due diligence and approval, not guaranteed. Carrot’s venture studio typically co-founds new businesses rather than financing existing ones.Deadline:…
Aurora Tech Award is coming to Africa in 2027, offering equity-free grants for selected founders, and access to a network of 40+ investors across Africa who will help evaluate and connect with those founders. 👇 Drop a comment in Nadeem Hossam’s 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 section with: • Your startup’s name• Your country• What you’re building, in one line She will read every comment, and if you’re qualified, you will be among the first to hear from us when applications open in January 2027. 🔎 Who they are looking for: • Women founders and co-founders of Africa-based tech startups• At pre-seed or seed,…
Yemi Keri, General Partner and spokesperson, RiTA Investment Network, which aims to expand access to growth capital for women-led businesses in Nigeria. US$335,000 catalytic funding will establish the RiTA Investment Network, targeting 15 businesses and mobilising domestic private capital. LAGOS, Nigeria, 28 October 2026 – FSD Africa, with funding from the UK Government through the British High Commission in Nigeria, has committed US$335,000 (approximately £247,000) to establish the RiTA Investment Network, a new investment platform designed to channel domestic private capital into women-led businesses in Nigeria. Established by Rising Tide Africa, a pan-African network of women angel investors, the initiative…
Obinna Ukachukwu (Group Executive, Sterling Bank); Trish Thomas (CEO, Cascador) New facility targets growth-stage businesses with potential to unlock up to $1 billion in lending capacity LAGOS, Nigeria, October 21, 2026 — Growth-stage enterprise platform Cascador and Sterling Bank have announced a $200 million SME Credit Backstop Fund designed to help Nigerian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) access larger, longer-term loans by reducing the lending risks faced by financial institutions. The initiative aims to support up to $1 billion in outstanding credit capacity through a structured risk-sharing mechanism that provides participating lenders with a defined level of protection against losses…
Founders of Milsat Technologies – Taslim Saluadeen and Adedamola Baderinwa Home-grown geospatial software firm Milsat Technologies has emerged as the core technical force behind Nigeria’s newly launched National Digital Postcode infrastructure. Founded by tech entrepreneurs Taslim Saluadeen and Adedamola Baderinwa, Milsat has scaled its proprietary spatial data infrastructure from a limited pilot project in 2023 to a full national rollout. The system is designed to modernize public services, boost commercial logistics, and generate new economic value across the country. Driving national infrastructure and beyond The digital postcode system represents a leap forward for Nigeria’s spatial addressing infrastructure. Beyond postcodes, Milsat’s…
Juliet Munro (Early-Stage Director, FSD Africa) FSD Africa has launched the Manager Finance Facility (MFF) to strengthen local capital providers and unlock financing for Africa’s small and growing businesses (SGBs). Backed by FMO (the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank via the European Commission’s IYBA programme) and the UK’s FCDO Nigeria, the MFF aims to bridge the financing gap for high-potential enterprises across the continent. While SGBs drive African employment and innovation, standard banking requirements often exclude them. Emerging Alternative Local Capital Providers (ALCPs) offer tailored funding models—such as revenue-based finance, venture debt, and local-currency structures—but often lack capital themselves. The MFF…
Jonny Baxter, British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos in a handshake with the new British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Pete Vowles, recently at the reception in Lagos marking the impact of the UK Government’s Manufacturing Africa programme in Nigeria and the launch of the Fundraising Toolkit. British High Commissioner Pete Vowles and British Deputy High Commissioner Jonny Baxter yesterday joined business leaders, investors, government representatives and development partners in Lagos to celebrate the impact of the UK Government’s Manufacturing Africa programme in Nigeria. Over the last six years, Manufacturing Africa has supported 23 successful investment deals in Nigeria, helping businesses…