Since launching its research arm in 2016, Disrupt Africa has built up a significant portfolio of publications, most notably the African Tech Startups Funding Report and Finnovating for Africa, available free for all via open-sourcing initiatives with various partners across the continent’s tech ecosystem.
The company is preparing to release the Nigerian Startup Ecosystem Report 2022, its third country-focused publication after the Egyptian Startup Ecosystem Report released late last year and the South African Startup Ecosystem Report, which came out in June.
To do so, it has teamed up with various partners, including Quona Capital, a venture firm focused on fintech that can expand access for underserved customers and small businesses in emerging markets; Sabi, Africa’s leading provider of commercial infrastructure for the distribution of goods and services; and MAX, which is building Africa’s largest mobility-tech platform.
Additional partners are public relations and consultancy company Talking Drum Communications; Newtown Partners, the family office of successful startup entrepreneurs Llew Claasen and Vinny Lingham; Kwik, founded in 2018 to provide groundbreaking online services to African merchants in the fields of delivery, fulfilment and payment; and LipaLater, a leading Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) firm.
The report will be a deep-dive into the Nigerian startup scene, utilising Disrupt Africa’s datasets, expertise and networks to document what startups are doing what in the country, who is making and receiving investments, and who is providing ecosystem support. It also includes the full list of startups tracked for the purposes of the report.
“Nigeria has long been a pioneering startup ecosystem on the African continent, leading the way in various sectors and increasingly becoming a focus for investment. It is high time we dug deeper into its growth, and this report does just that. We hope it serves as a valuable resource for both those already active in Nigeria and those looking to start doing business there soon,” said Gabriella Mulligan, co-founder of Disrupt Africa.
“It is core to our identity as a company that we offer entrepreneurs – both active and aspiring – access to pivotal information, resources and opportunities with which to take their businesses to scale. The democratisation of data, and the release of detailed industry reports free of charge, is central to that, and with that in mind we hugely appreciate the assistance of all our partners, who are doing their bit to ensure this report reaches as many people as possible,” said Tom Jackson, co-founder of Disrupt Africa.
“The African startup ecosystem has experienced remarkable growth with impressive achievements. Reliable and informative reports about the ecosystem raise the profile of our sector beyond Africa, and that interest helps to drive investments in productive startups. We are thrilled to partner with Disrupt Africa on the Nigerian Startup Ecosystem Report to drive data and insights on startup and investments in Nigeria, shining the light on Africa’s expanding ecosystem and enabling innovators to do more while indicating to the various ecosystem players better and more innovative ways of supporting local businesses to make strides,” said LipaLater Group CEO Eric Muli.
The Nigerian Startup Ecosystem Report 2022 will be available to all for free, making the data and analysis contained in its pages accessible to those for whom the information is most valuable – entrepreneurs.
The publication, which will be the 18th released by Disrupt Research, will be approximately 60 pages in length and provide a detailed overview of the Nigerian startup ecosystem and its development over the last 5-10 years. It will involve analysis of what areas startups are active in, a detailed look at funding and M&A trends, and detail the range of startup support services available to Nigerian entrepreneurs, including hubs, incubators, accelerators, and government, corporate, and university initiatives.
