At ABAN 2025, MTN commits ₦100m to drive African innovation
MTN Nigeria has announced a ₦100 million cloud accelerator programme aimed at supporting 20 high-potential African startups through funding, mentorship and access to its technology infrastructure.
Unveiled at the African Business Angel Network (ABAN) Congress 2025 in Lagos, the initiative underscores MTN’s growing role in Africa’s innovation ecosystem.
Njideka Jack, general manager of enterprise marketing at MTN Nigeria, said the accelerator received nearly 8,000 applications, with Nigeria accounting for about 88 percent of submissions. After a four-stage selection process, 20 startups were chosen across eight sectors — fintech, agritech, martech, healthtech, edtech, greentech, DevOps-as-a-Service, and Talent-as-a-Service.
Each startup will receive ₦5 million in equity-free, non-dilutive funding from the ₦100 million grant pool, alongside access to MTN’s digital platforms, including MTN Cloud, MoMo and Chenosis.
“We know we have a strong brand and the influence that comes with it,” Jack said at the congress. “We’re making that infrastructure available and providing the ground to scale startups across Africa.”
The 12-week hybrid programme goes beyond financial support. It includes structured workshops, advisory sessions with industry leaders, and ecosystem tours to leading startups such as Shuttlers, Paystack, Moniepoint and Wakanow, offering participants hands-on exposure to successful business models.
Designed for growth-stage startups with working products or minimum viable products (MVPs), the accelerator will culminate in a demo day, where founders pitch to potential investors and partners. The focus, Jack explained, is on solutions with measurable traction — particularly those addressing rural or underserved communities.
A presentation at the event described angel investors as “the bridge — offering domain experience, networks, mentorship, credibility as well as funding,” highlighting MTN’s goal of serving as an ecosystem enabler rather than just a corporate sponsor.
“We’re partnering to enable Africa — solutions for Africa by Africans,” Jack added, inviting investors and stakeholders to engage with the programme.
The announcement drew strong interest from angel investors, several of whom signalled willingness to co-fund or mentor startups in the accelerator cohort.
Industry observers say the initiative ranks among Nigeria’s most significant corporate-led startup support efforts, reflecting MTN’s commitment to deepening entrepreneurship and digital innovation across the continent.
