What started as a 100-hour marathon of youth culture and creativity in Surulere ended as a life-changing event for eight Nigerian startups.
At The Gathering on 100, the atmosphere at the National Stadium shifted from festival vibes to the winner spirit intensity as emerging founders competed for a slice of a N45 million funding pool backed by MTN Nigeria.
The message from the judges was loud and clear: In 2026, a ‘good idea’ is not enough. To win, you had to prove you could execute.
Out of 30 hopefuls who entered the arena, only eight survived the final round of scrutiny.
The Big Winner: Hubpharm Africa didn’t just walk away with the top prize of N15 million; they secured a golden ticket—a strategic enterprise partnership with MTN. Led by Sesan Kareem, the health-tech firm proved that solving pharmaceutical gaps is both big business and high impact.
The Runners-Up: Coconoto Ltd claimed the silver spot with N10 million, followed by Rava Send, whose cross-border payment solution earned them N5 million.
The Growth Squad: Five startups—URI Social, Dulces Jams, Kindly Book, Africa Medical Marketplace, and MyFund—each bagged N3 million to fuel their next phase of growth.
The ‘Pitchathon’ offered a glimpse into the future of Nigerian commerce, where Artificial Intelligence has now become a tool for survival.
Smart Commerce: Jakuta turned heads with an AI assistant that handles everything from customer calls to transactions. While the tech was impressive, the judges issued a challenge: Show us the traction.
Beauty & Wellness: Kindlybook proved that even local salons need automation, showing how a seamless booking and payment platform can transform a “small” business into a scalable engine.
Digital Management: Uri Social showcased how AI can take the heavy lifting out of social media for SMEs, while RavaSend tackled the complexities of moving money across African borders.
It wasn’t all about code and algorithms. Dulces Jams brought a tangible solution to the table, demonstrating how locally sourced Nigerian produce can be transformed into high-value consumer goods. By turning agricultural potential into processed food, they addressed two of Nigeria’s biggest hurdles: food waste and value chain creation.
The real takeaway for the ecosystem was the shift in investor DNA. Omotayo Ojutalayo, General Manager of Enterprise Business at MTN Nigeria, emphasized that they aren’t looking for “cool” tech—they are looking for market-ready solutions.
The judges ignored the fluff and dug into the fundamentals: How do you acquire customers? Where is the revenue? Can this scale tomorrow? This funding round signals that Nigeria’s startup scene is maturing, moving away from hype and toward hard evidence of execution.
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