Five startups were named winners at last week’s AfricArena Lagos Fintech, Mobility and Logistics Summit, advancing to the grand final in Cape Town in December.
The AfricArena Fintech, Mobility and Logistics Summit marked the second stop on the AfricArena Tour 2025, following a successful kickoff at the Johannesburg Summit in March.
The summit, held at Eko Hotel And Suites on Victoria Island, was powered by the support of AWS Startups, Redington, GIZ, and Octerra Capital, and brought together global venture capitalists, industry pioneers, and emerging startups for a full-day event focused on pitching sessions, strategic networking, and partnership opportunities.
Twenty startups pitched at the event, with five winners selected to advance to the grand final in Cape Town in December. They were Cameroon’s PaySika, which won the Best Fintech Startup Award; Nigeria’s Retail Loop, which won the Best Logistics Startup Award; Nigeria’s Kamel, winner of the Best E-Commerce Startup Award; Nigeria’s Koolboks, which won the Best Energy Startup Award; and Vetsark, which won the Best Seed Startup Award.
In addition, the Most Promising Entrepreneur Award went to Ahmed Idris from Nigeria’s Adashi, while the Most Attractive Investor Award went to Moroccan firm Al Mada Ventures.
“We are incredibly proud of the success of the AfricArena Lagos Summit 2025. This year’s summit was more than just an event – it was a powerful gathering of Nigeria’s most dynamic founders, investors, and ecosystem builders, united by a shared vision for Africa’s future. We witnessed bold ideas, game-changing innovations, and the undeniable spirit of collaboration,” said Dan Mabbyalas, AfricArise director and AfricArena head of product and programmes.
“Congratulations to all the startups who pitched and especially to our winners – your journey is just beginning. If this summit proved anything, it’s that the African tech ecosystem is not only rising – it’s unstoppable.”