ECOWAS STARTUP AWARDS 2026: CELEBRATING WEST AFRICA’S INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURIAL POTENTIAL
The ECOWAS Commission has commenced the 2nd ECOWAS Startup Awards in Abuja, Nigeria, from September 28–30, 2026, celebrating innovation and entrepreneurship across West Africa.
Themed *“Scaling West African Startups for Digital Transformation, Regional Integration and Sustainable Value Chain Ecosystem Development to Drive Market Access,”* the initiative seeks to connect promising startups with capital, markets, technology and opportunities to scale across the region.
The 2026 edition attracted 8,679 registrations from 12 Member States, with 1,499 qualified applications. Following an evaluation supported by the International Trade Centre (ITC), 60 startups emerged as finalists.
Representing six sectors from technology innovation, Agriculture to Tourism, the finalists will pitch their businesses to a jury, with the top three receiving US$30,000, US$20,000 and US$15,000, respectively.
Beyond the prizes, all 60 finalists will benefit from a six-month acceleration programme, mentorship, investor access, regional visibility and post-event support, as well as membership of the ECOWAS Startup Network and access to the ECOWAS Private Sector Development Academy.
