The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has opened applications for the second edition of its Startup Awards, with $65,000 in cash prizes available to innovative startups across the region, including Nigeria.
The ECOWAS Commission announced the opening of applications on Monday, saying the awards are designed to identify, recognise and support innovative startups while promoting digital entrepreneurship, innovation and economic integration across West Africa. Applications opened on August 3, 2026, and will close on August 31, 2026.
The programme will select 60 startups from the 12 participating ECOWAS member states across six sectors: EdTech and Skills Development; FinTech; HealthTech; AgriTech and Food Systems; CleanTech, Climate and Green Innovation; and Tourism, Hospitality and TravelTech.
The second edition follows the inaugural Startup Awards held in Niamey, Niger, in November 2021.
Selected startups will participate in virtual masterclasses from September 21 to 25, before proceeding to a physical event in Abuja from September 28 to 30. The regional finals are scheduled for September 30.
What Nigerian startups can win
The ECOWAS Startup Awards offer a total cash prize pool of $65,000. The first and second runners-up will receive $20,000 and $15,000 respectively, while winners and finalists will also have access to a range of non-cash benefits.
These include regional visibility across ECOWAS member states, access to investors through deal rooms, networking opportunities with founders, policymakers and development partners, and a six-month post-award acceleration and mentorship programme. Selected startups may also receive digital tools, including computers, accessories and software.
Who can apply?
Nigerian applicants must meet the ECOWAS eligibility requirements.
Applicants must be citizens of an ECOWAS member state, including Nigeria, and operate a startup that is registered and based in an ECOWAS member state.
The startup must have been operating for at least two years and must have a working product or service.
Applicants must also demonstrate market traction or scalability and submit all required documentation before the application deadline.
Documents Required
Nigerian founders applying for the ECOWAS Startup Awards will need to provide a national passport or an ECOWAS-approved identity document for the lead founder.
Other required documents include a recent passport photograph, business registration certificate where applicable, and two years of financial statements, management accounts or financial projections.
Applicants must also submit a business plan of not more than 10 pages, using single spacing and Times New Roman, size 12.
A pitch deck of no more than 10 slides is required, alongside a one-minute pitch video in MP4, MOV or WebM format. The video must not exceed 100MB.
How Nigerians can apply
Interested Nigerian founders can apply through the ECOWAS Startup Awards application portal.
ECOWAS Startup Awards application portal
Applicants must first create an account using their full name, email address, telephone number, where available, and a password of at least 10 characters.
After registration, applicants can log into their dashboard and begin a new application.
The application form covers Sections A through J and can be saved as a draft, allowing applicants to return and complete it before submission.
Applicants should ensure that all information and supporting documents are accurate and complete before submitting their forms.
How startups will be Selected
The selection process will take place in two stages. During the national selection phase, each participating member state will nominate half of its allocated slots, while the remaining places will be filled through open public applications.
Those who progress to the final stage will travel to Abuja for the regional finals, where they will pitch before an independent jury comprising industry experts, investors and policy stakeholders.
Applications will be assessed using several criteria. problem clarity and solution fit will account for 20% of the score, while innovation and originality will account for another 20%, Team capacity and execution ability will carry 15%, market potential and scalability 10%, and business model and financial viability another 10%.
Social and economic impact will account for 10%, alignment with ECOWAS priorities another 10%, while pitch, online voting and data integrity will account for the remaining five per cent.
