Africa-based tech startups have raised over $2.9 billion with Nigerian startups which are creating new products, services, and platforms raising $1.7 billion of this total or about 60% of it in 2021.
According to business consultant and venture capitalist Maxime Bayen’s business database Africa reportl, Africa boasts a total of seven tech “unicorns,” or companies valued at over $1 billion.
The US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Berth Leonard, in her remarks at the 2021 Nigeria Tech Summit organised by US Embassy in Nigeria, Abuja said the US Mission will continue to do its part to support Nigeria’s burgeoning tech scene and encourage the creation of the enabling environment necessary to foster a sector that will, in turn, launch still more global businesses and contribute to a more prosperous future for all its citizens.
Leonard said it is very exciting to note that three of these of seven African tech companies – OPay, Flutterwave, and Interswitch – are born and bred of Nigerian talent as she firmly believes that Nigeria, with the proper support, has enormous potential to do even more.
She expressed the hope that an enabling environment would help create more global businesses birthed in Nigeria adding that the COVID-19 pandemic did not hinder the support the US government offered.
According to Leonard, the US Mission in Nigeria prides itself on building, celebrating, and accelerating entrepreneurship.
“Throughout the year we amplify the work of innovation stakeholders by providing exposure, partnerships, training, and conferences like this Nigeria Tech Summit”, she stated.