Highlights of Leading Tech Startups at the 2025 AfricArena Lagos Summit in West Africa

Lagos – During the AfricArena Lagos Fintech, Mobility & Logistics Summit, five startups and one investor were recognized as winners.

Held at Eko Hotel And Suites on Victoria Island, Lagos, the summit showcased the vibrant fintech, mobility, and logistics ecosystem of West Africa.

In partnership with AWS Startups, GIZ, Redington, VonTech Group, and Methys, the event demonstrated West Africa’s impressive capability to nurture top-tier tech talent.

Coinciding with the 21st AVCA Conference and VC Summit, this full-day gathering attracted global venture capitalists, industry leaders, and innovative startups for pitch sessions, networking, and partnership opportunities.

The event featured the dynamic Lady Kay, Head of Communication and Social Impact at Salad Africa, who captivated attendees with her storytelling as the Master of Ceremonies.

Deepankar Rustagi, founder and CEO of OmniRetail Technology, delivered an engaging keynote titled “Narrating the Fintech Journey: From Headlines to Hustle.”

Jane Egerton-Idehen, CEO of Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited and founder of VonTech Group, stated: “Startups are driving Africa’s digital economy by leveraging technology to develop impactful solutions.

“This year’s AfricArena Lagos summit, which showcased over 20 startups across fintech, logistics, and mobility, demonstrates how startups are tackling critical challenges in Africa.

“It emphasizes the importance of supporting startups in securing funding, connecting with investors, and creating strategic partnerships.”

Daniel von Ritter, Head of Component at GIZ/Digital Transformation Center Nigeria, commented: “Our collaboration with the AfricArena Lagos Summit aimed to provide startups from the recent techmybiz acceleration program a platform to showcase their progress and attract investment and partnerships.

“I can confidently say this partnership has met all expectations, and I thank AfricArena for organizing such a successful debut in Lagos.”

Dan Mabbyalas, AfricArise Director and AfricArena Head of Product & Programs, expressed: “We are incredibly proud of the success of the AfricArena Lagos Summit 2025.

“This summit was more than just an event – it was a powerful gathering of Nigeria’s most dynamic founders, investors, and ecosystem builders, all united by a shared vision for Africa’s future.

“We witnessed groundbreaking ideas, transformative innovations, and an undeniable spirit of collaboration.

“Congratulations to all startups who pitched, especially to our winners – your journey is just beginning.

“This summit has epitomized that the African tech ecosystem is not just on the rise; it’s unstoppable.”

Each of the 20 pitching startups showcased their diverse skills, preparing them to build and scale innovative ventures.

As the event concluded with an awards ceremony, five standout startups and one investor were awarded the following accolades:

• Best Fintech Startup Award: PaySika (Roger Nengwe Ntafam, Founder & CEO, Cameroon)
• Best Logistics Startup Award: Retail Loop (Emeka Ehinze, Founder & CEO, Nigeria)
• Best E-Commerce Startup Award: Kamel (Aminu Ibrahim Hashim, Co-Founder & CEO, Nigeria)
• Best Energy Startup Award: Koolboks (Lolade Alonge, Business Communications Project Manager, Nigeria)
• Best Seed Startup Award: Vetsark (Blessing Mene, CEO, Nigeria)
• Most Attractive Investor Award: Al Mada Ventures (Morocco)
• Most Promising Entrepreneur Award: Adashi (Ahmed Idris, Founder, Nigeria)

The winners are each eligible for up to US$25,000 in AWS Activate credits and will automatically advance to the grand finale at the AfricArena Grand Summit in December in Cape Town, South Africa.

Mukami Wainaina, Investment Officer at Al Mada Ventures, expressed her appreciation for winning the AfricArena Most Attractive Investor Award: “We are grateful for winning the AfricArena Reverse Pitching competition.

“Thank you for giving us VCs a moment to shine, and a shoutout to the founders for making pitching seem effortless!”

Ahmed Idris, founder and CEO at Adashi, who received the AfricArena Most Promising Entrepreneur Award, remarked: “Winning this award reinforces the vision and perseverance behind Adashi.

“This isn’t just a personal achievement – it symbolizes that African-built solutions can radically transform community access to savings, credit, and financial dignity.

“This award strengthens our commitment to innovate and positively impact lives through technology.”

Aminu Hashim, CEO of Kamel, reflected on receiving the AfricArena Best E-Commerce Startup Award: “Being recognized as winners in the E-commerce Track is a tremendous validation of our efforts at Kamel.

“For our team, this acknowledgment is not merely about accolades; it provides confidence, momentum, and visibility as we work to create an inclusive and accessible e-commerce platform for businesses in Nigeria and beyond.

“We are deeply thankful to AfricArena, GIZ, and our other partners for highlighting startups like ours.”

Expressing her excitement over the win, Lolade Alonge, Business Communications Project Manager at Koolboks, said: “We are honored to have won the Best Energy Startup Award at the AfricArena Lagos Summit.

“This recognition affirms our team’s dedication to innovation in the energy sector.

“The $25,000 AWS credit will significantly enhance our efforts at Koolboks, allowing us to scale our predictive maintenance IoT platform, ensuring our vision of consistent cooling for our clients, even without access to electricity.

“With AWS, we’ll optimize our infrastructure, refine data analytics, and enhance the reliability of our platform, ultimately delivering greater value to our customers.

“This award not only boosts our credibility but also opens new avenues for collaboration and growth.

“We’re eager to represent Africa’s innovative spirit at the grand finale in Cape Town as we further our mission to revolutionize off-grid refrigeration across the continent.”

The AfricArena Europe Scale Tour 2025 is set for May, showcasing the top African tech startups at the AfricArena London Summit and the AfricArena Berlin Summit. Get your tickets for London or Berlin here.