Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Sixty West African startups have been given access to investors, regional markets, mentorship and business partnerships under the second ECOWAS Startup Awards programme in Abuja.
The three-day physical phase of the programme, which opened at the ECOWAS Commission headquarters, is designed to help promising businesses move beyond the startup stage and expand across West Africa.
The 2026 edition attracted 8,679 registrations from all 12 ECOWAS member states, with 1,499 applications qualifying for evaluation before 60 startups were selected as finalists.
The finalists operate across six sectors: EdTech and Skills Development, FinTech, HealthTech, AgriTech and Food Systems, CleanTech and Green Innovation, and Tourism, Hospitality and TravelTech.
ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Dehpue Yenpea Zuo, described the programme as an instrument for regional economic transformation, youth employment, industrialisation and regional integration. “The ECOWAS Startup Awards is an instrument of regional economic transformation,” Zuo said.
He urged the finalists to use the programme to build relationships with investors and potential business partners rather than focusing only on winning the competition. “Build relationships. Meet investors. Find partners. Learn from one another. And think beyond your national borders,” he told the entrepreneurs.
The finalists had earlier completed a five-day virtual masterclass covering business-model validation, market access, regional expansion, investment readiness, fundraising, technology, environmental, social and governance issues and pitching.
The physical programme includes policy dialogue, investor-readiness sessions, sector clinics, product exhibitions, regional pitching, business-to-business engagements and investor deal rooms.
The 60 finalists will also receive a six-month acceleration programme, mentorship, investor access, regional visibility and post-event support. They will join the ECOWAS Startup Network and gain access to the ECOWAS Private Sector Development Academy.
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Korede Abdullah 
Hope Ajayi 
Oluwatobi Adu 