The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is bringing together 60 startups from across the region for the second ECOWAS Startup Awards in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
The event is scheduled for September 21 to 30, 2026, at the new ECOWAS Headquarters in Abuja.
The awards will provide a platform to showcase startups from across West Africa and recognise emerging entrepreneurs contributing to the region’s economic development.
The initiative is also expected to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration among startups and other stakeholders across the ECOWAS region.
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In a statement published on the ECOWAS website, the event, with the theme, “Scaling West African Startups for Digital Transformation, Regional Integration and Sustainable Value Chain Ecosystem Development to drive Market Access,” was designed to spotlight home-grown solutions with the potential to transform businesses, create opportunities and accelerate regional integration.
The 10-day programme will feature a virtual masterclass from September 21 to 25, followed by pitching, exhibition and awards activities from September 28 to 30, 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.
ECOWAS said the top three startups would receive “US$30,000, US$20,000 and US$15,000 in seed funding”, while the programme targets US$5 million in deals across the thematic tracks.
Building on the inaugural awards held in Niamey, Niger Republic, in 2021, the second ECOWAS Startup Awards seeks to create a lasting regional platform for entrepreneurship and innovation.
A key legacy of the programme will be the ECOWAS Private Sector Development Academy, a permanent digital learning platform designed to strengthen the capabilities of startups, entrepreneurs and policymakers in enterprise development, trade and competitiveness.
With support from partners including the International Trade Centre (ITC), GIZ, ASKY, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the Bank of Industry of Nigeria, ECOWAS said it was working to turn West Africa’s entrepreneurial energy into scalable enterprises, stronger regional value chains and greater access to markets across the region and beyond.
