Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Is Set to Award West Africa’s 60 Most Promising Start-Ups This Week in Abuja

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is set to bring together 60 of West Africa’s most promising startups for the 2nd ECOWAS Startup Awards, taking place from 21–30 September 2026 at the new ECOWAS Headquarters in Abuja. Under the theme “Scaling West African Startups for Digital Transformation, Regional Integration and Sustainable Value Chain Ecosystem Development to drive Market Access,” the initiative will spotlight home-grown solutions with the potential to transform businesses, create opportunities and accelerate regional integration. The 10-day programme will move from a Virtual Masterclass (21–25 September) to a high-energy Pitching, Exhibition and Awards programme (28–30 September), connecting startups with investors, business leaders and development partners. The 60 startups span six strategic sectors — FinTech, HealthTech, AgriTech and Food Systems, EdTech and Skills Development, CleanTech, Climate and Green Innovation, and Tourism, Hospitality and Travel Tech — with the top three startups set to receive US$30,000, US$20,000 and US$15,000 in seed funding. The programme also targets US$5 million in deals across the thematic tracks. Building on the inaugura