Beni Mellal – Abuja played host to the kick-off of GITEX’s 2024 Road Show last February, featuring a pitch competition focused on agritech, healthtech, and fintech sectors.
Out of the 19 participating startups, Fundus AI, an AI-powered diabetic retinopathy diagnostic solution co-founded by Abdulmalik Adeyemo, and XchangeBox Solutions, a fintech startup supporting rural SMEs with loans and digital records, co-founded by Abiola Jimoh, secured the top two spots.
As winners, both startups will be awarded a trip to GITEX Africa 2024 in Morocco, which includes accommodation, an exhibition booth, and entry to the Supernova Challenge, where they will have the opportunity to compete for a $100,000 prize. The Road Show continued its journey in Lagos before concluding in Kaduna, marking GITEX Africa’s inaugural event in the northern Nigerian city.
In addition to the startup pitches, the event featured a breakfast meeting between industry leaders and Bilal Al-Rais, Vice President of Portfolio Growth Tech & Digital at the Dubai World Trade Centre. There was also a panel discussion on fostering cross-border collaboration to drive business growth.
Participants included Khalil Halilu, CEO of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), and representatives from various Nigerian agencies, such as the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Wema Bank, and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).
The Nigerian tech ecosystem is one of the fastest-growing in the world, raising $398.2 million in funding in 2023. Yet startups in the country’s northern region still face challenges in scaling due to limited access to funding. During the GITEX Breakfast Briefing, discussions arose on how to provide visibility and resources to startups outside major cities like Lagos and Abuja.
Usman Illiyas, co-founder of Startup Bauchi, a humanitarian development program supporting startups in the north-eastern Nigerian city of Bauchi, highlighted the disconnect between organic startups and government agencies.
He emphasized that while state governments and agencies are the first point of contact for events like GITEX when seeking new talents and innovations, the lack of proper communication between the state government and Nigerian startups often results in many startups losing access to the visibility they need.
Illiyas and other participants suggested improving communication between the government and startups to ensure they have access to opportunities such as GITEX Africa.
Upcoming GITEX events include GITEX Africa 2024, scheduled to take place in Morocco from May 29-31, 2024, followed by GITEX Global in Dubai from October 14-18, 2024. GITEX is also set to make its European debut in 2025, with the event planned for May 21-23.
