Morganable Technology | Startups
ECOWAS has brought together 60 startups from across West Africa in Abuja as it seeks to connect young businesses with investors, markets and regional opportunities.
LAgos —
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has brought together 60 startups from across West Africa for the second edition of the ECOWAS Startup Awards in Abuja.
The 10-day programme runs from September 21 to 30, 2026, at the new ECOWAS Headquarters in Abuja. It aims to showcase home-grown businesses while creating opportunities for founders to connect with investors, business leaders and development partners.
The initiative focuses on helping startups grow beyond their individual markets and contribute to regional economic development.
According to ECOWAS, the programme will highlight businesses with solutions that can support digital transformation, regional integration and sustainable value chains across West Africa.
60 startups selected
The selected startups come from the 12 ECOWAS member states and operate across six sectors.
These include FinTech, HealthTech, AgriTech and Food Systems, EdTech and Skills Development, CleanTech, Climate and Green Innovation, and Tourism, Hospitality and TravelTech.
The selection followed more than 6,000 applications, according to current reporting on the programme.
This wide range of sectors reflects the growing role of startups in addressing everyday challenges across the region.
For instance, businesses in agriculture are developing solutions for farmers and food supply chains, while HealthTech startups are exploring new ways to improve access to healthcare services.
Similarly, EdTech businesses are using technology to support learning and skills development. CleanTech startups are working on environmental and sustainability challenges.
By bringing these businesses together, ECOWAS hopes to create more opportunities for collaboration across national borders.
Programme connects founders with investors
The programme began on September 21 with virtual masterclasses and startup clinics.
These sessions will continue until September 25 before the physical programme begins in Abuja from September 28 to 30.
The physical programme will feature pitching sessions, exhibitions, investor engagements and the awards ceremony.
Twenty finalists will emerge from the 60 participating startups and pitch their businesses before an independent jury made up of industry experts, investors and policy stakeholders.
The arrangement gives participating founders more than an opportunity to compete.
It also provides a platform to explain their products, meet potential partners and gain exposure to people who can support their businesses.
Winners to receive $65,000
The top three startups will receive a combined $65,000 in seed funding.
The winner will receive $30,000, while the first and second runners-up will receive $20,000 and $15,000 respectively.
Beyond the prize money, ECOWAS is targeting about $5 million in investment deals across the programme’s different thematic tracks.
The organisation is also planning a six-month post-award acceleration and mentorship programme.
Through the programme, winners are expected to receive further support as they work to develop their businesses and connect with venture capitalists, impact investors and financial institutions.
This approach recognises that funding alone may not be enough to help an early-stage company grow.
Why market access matters
For startups, raising money is only one part of building a sustainable business.
A founder may have a useful product but still struggle to find customers, enter new markets or understand regulations in another country.
That challenge becomes more important in West Africa, where businesses operate across different national markets.
A startup based in Nigeria, for example, may see opportunities in Ghana, Senegal or Côte d’Ivoire. However, expanding into another country can require knowledge of its customers, regulations and business environment.
The ECOWAS Startup Awards seeks to create connections that can make such expansion easier.
The programme’s theme focuses specifically on scaling West African startups, digital transformation, regional integration, sustainable value chains and market access.
Building stronger regional businesses
Regional collaboration can also help startups reach a larger customer base.
When businesses expand successfully across borders, they can create new opportunities for workers, suppliers and other businesses within their value chains.
For this reason, the startup programme is not only about recognising innovative ideas.
It is also about helping businesses become stronger and more capable of operating across the region.
ECOWAS says the initiative is designed to turn entrepreneurial activity in West Africa into scalable enterprises and stronger regional value chains.
The organisation is also working with partners including the International Trade Centre (ITC), the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), ASKY, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Bank of Industry of Nigeria.
A platform beyond the awards
ECOWAS is also planning to establish the ECOWAS Private Sector Development Academy, a permanent digital learning platform for startups, entrepreneurs and policymakers.
The platform is expected to provide learning opportunities around enterprise development, trade and competitiveness.
This means the Startup Awards are designed to extend beyond the September event.
Instead, ECOWAS wants to create a longer-term platform that can support businesses as they develop.
The initiative builds on the first ECOWAS Startup Awards, which were held in Niamey, Niger Republic, in 2021. Following that edition, ECOWAS leaders directed that the programme be institutionalised.
Startups seek growth opportunities
The Abuja programme comes at a time when startups across Africa continue to seek funding, customers and opportunities to expand.
For many founders, access to capital remains important. However, business knowledge, market access, partnerships and mentorship can also determine whether a startup survives and grows.
The ECOWAS initiative therefore creates an opportunity for participating businesses to build relationships beyond their home countries.
It also gives investors, development partners and other stakeholders an opportunity to discover businesses working on solutions to regional challenges.
As the programme moves from its virtual sessions to the physical activities in Abuja, attention will turn to the 20 startups that will make it to the final pitching stage.
The winners will receive seed funding, while all participating businesses will gain exposure and opportunities to connect with other players in the West African startup ecosystem.
The final awards are scheduled for September 30, when the top three startups will be announced.
For ECOWAS, the broader goal is to help more West African startups move from promising ideas to scalable businesses that can create opportunities, reach new markets and contribute to the region’s digital and economic development.
