MTN launches accelerator program for startups driving Africa’s digital transformation

MTN Nigeria has launched its 2025 Cloud Accelerator Program intended to support technology startups operating in several domains in the country.

According to an announcement from the telco, each selected cohort will receive grant funding of 100 million Naira, around US$65,000.

The application process for the program started on July 11 and will stay open till August 15.  Selected cohorts will be announced on September 1 and the program will run for six weeks, between September 6 and December 6. A grand demo of products is scheduled for November 18.

Startups in the domains of fintech and digital payments, digital identity, cybersecurity, Healthtech, Edutech, Agritech, AI and data infrastructure, as well as retail and commerce are expected to apply if they meet certain criteria.

According to the organisers, participants must be growth-stage startups with either minimum viable products (MVPs) or live products, have founders with deep customer insights, be focused on solving African problems, and must be operating in rural or underserved communities of Africa.

MTN Nigeria says the idea is to provide mentorship and financial support to enable these startups refine and scale up their offerings.

Apart from the grand funding, selected startups will also benefit from sales and go-to-market support from MTN teams, a demo day with investors and the media, API integration, cloud credits and technical advisory access, industry expert mentorship, coaching on investor pitching, as well as pilot support and partnerships after the program ends.

The company adds that it wants to help these startups grow faster by leveraging its products, platforms, and partners.

“Whether you’re scaling digital payments, transforming healthcare, or reimagining agriculture — we’ll give you the tools, funding, and network to go further,” the company pledges.

To scale up tech innovation, accelerator programs are crucial. This is particularly important for early-stage startups looking to position themselves on the path to rapid and sustainable growth and market expansion.

The MTN Nigeria program comes within a context of Africa’s continuous push for digital transformation where startups have a major role to play. Such efforts also include Hackathons like the one organised by Upanzi Network which is aimed at exploring more innovative and real-world use cases of digital ID in Africa.

Article Topics

accelerator program  |  Africa  |  African startups  |  digital ID  |  digital identity  |  MTN Nigeria  |  research and development