ECOWAS is giving away $65,000 to startups and Nigerians are eligible — See full list of requirements

• ECOWAS has opened applications for its 2026 Startup Awards with a total prize pool of $65,000.

• Nigerian startups are eligible if they have operated for at least two years and meet the programme requirements.

• Applications close on August 31, 2026, while the regional finals will hold in Abuja on September 30.

• Winners will receive cash prizes, investor access, mentorship, networking opportunities and a six-month acceleration programme.

For many Nigerian startup founders, getting funding is one of the biggest headaches. If you've been bootstrapping your business and waiting for an opportunity to scale, this might be worth paying attention to.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has opened applications for the second edition of its Startup Awards, giving innovative startups across the region a chance to win a share of $65,000 in prize money.

The regional body announced the programme on its official X (formerly Twitter) page, saying the initiative is designed to discover, celebrate and support startups that are driving innovation and economic growth across West Africa.

The competition follows the maiden edition held in Niamey, Niger, in November 2021.

Applications opened on August 3, 2026, and interested founders have until August 31, 2026, to submit their entries.

Successful applicants will go through virtual masterclasses from September 21 to September 25, before attending a physical bootcamp and pitching event in Abuja between September 28 and September 30, where the regional finals will take place.

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The programme is open to startups from the 12 ECOWAS member states, including Nigeria.

ECOWAS is looking for businesses operating in six key sectors:

• EdTech and Skills Development

• FinTech

• HealthTech

• AgriTech and Food Systems

• CleanTech, Climate and Green Innovation

• Tourism, Hospitality and TravelTech

To qualify, applicants must:

• Be citizens of an ECOWAS member country.

• Own a startup registered and operating in an ECOWAS member state.

• Have been in operation for at least two years.

• Have a working product or service.

• Show evidence that the business has traction or can scale.

• Submit all required documents.

Beyond the cash prizes, winners will also receive exposure to investors, mentors and policymakers from across West Africa.

The overall prize pool is $65,000, with winners receiving cash rewards, while runners-up will also take home significant prizes, including $20,000 for the first runner-up and $15,000 for the second runner-up.

Other benefits include:

• Access to investors through dedicated deal rooms.

• Networking opportunities with founders and development partners.

• A six-month acceleration and mentorship programme.

• Digital support tools including computers, software and accessories.

Applicants are expected to upload the following:

• National passport or another ECOWAS-approved identity document.

• Recent passport photograph.

• Business registration certificate (where applicable).

• Financial statements, management accounts or financial projections covering at least two years.

• Business plan (maximum 10 pages).

• Pitch deck (maximum 10 slides).

• One-minute pitch video in MP4, MOV or WebM format (not more than 100MB).

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Interested founders should visit the official ECOWAS Startup Awards application portal and create an account using their name, email address and password.

After registration, applicants can complete the application form, which is divided into Sections A to J. One useful feature is that the application can be saved as a draft and completed later before submission.

The selection process will happen in two stages.

First, each ECOWAS member state will nominate part of its representatives, while the remaining slots will come from open applications.

Finalists will then pitch their businesses in Abuja before an independent panel made up of investors, industry experts and policy stakeholders.

Applications will be judged using the following criteria:

• Problem being solved and solution fit – 20%

• Innovation and originality – 20%

• Team capacity and ability to execute – 15%

• Market potential and scalability – 10%

• Business model and financial sustainability – 10%

• Social and economic impact – 10%

• Alignment with ECOWAS priorities – 10%

• Pitch performance, online voting and data integrity – 5%

With startup funding becoming increasingly difficult to secure across Africa, programmes like this offer founders not just prize money, but also access to investors, mentorship and regional exposure that could help take their businesses to the next level.