Four Nigerian startups have been selected for the 10th cohort of the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa, reinforcing Nigeria’s expanding influence in Africa’s artificial intelligence (AI) and digital innovation ecosystem.
The selected companies, Bani, MasteryHive AI, Regxta, and Termii, are among 15 startups chosen across Africa from a highly competitive pool of nearly 2,600 applications.
Apart from Nigeria, the cohort also includes startups from Angola, South Africa, Kenya, Senegal, and Tanzania, reflecting a continent-wide push to scale AI-driven solutions across key economic sectors.
Nigerian startups target fintech, fraud prevention, and financial inclusion
The Nigerian-selected startups are building AI-powered solutions across fintech, credit infrastructure, and enterprise communications.
Bani is developing a cross-border payments infrastructure platform aimed at eliminating settlement delays for African businesses trading globally.
MasteryHive AI is building systems that automate transaction reconciliation, fraud detection, and anti-money laundering (AML) monitoring.
Regxta is applying alternative data-driven credit scoring models to expand financial access for micro and small businesses.
Termii provides AI-powered communications infrastructure that ensures reliable financial messaging for banks and fintech companies.
The three-month hybrid programme will run from April 13 to June 19, 2026, offering participants technical mentorship, structured workshops, and access to AI and cloud infrastructure designed to help startups scale.
Startups will also gain access to advanced computing resources, including cloud tools and AI infrastructure, aimed at reducing technical barriers and accelerating product development.
Google highlights competitiveness of African AI ecosystem
Folarin Aiyegbusi, Head of Startup Ecosystem for Sub-Saharan Africa at Google, says the selected startups emerged from one of the most competitive application pools in the programme’s history.
“Chosen from an intensely competitive pool of 2,600 applications, these founders represent a wide variety of sectors, including fintech, agritech, health tech, mobility, and SaaS,” he says.
“What unites them is their innovative application of Artificial Intelligence to address specific, critical challenges in their respective countries.”
Since its launch in 2018, the accelerator has supported more than 100 startups across 17 African countries, helping to expand the continent’s early-stage innovation pipeline.
Aiyegbusi says African founders are increasingly developing solutions tailored to local challenges, with broader implications for job creation and economic development.
“From bustling cities to rural communities, African founders are stepping up to solve deeply rooted problems with bold, tech-driven ideas. This wave of homegrown innovation is vital,” he says.
He adds that investing in startups strengthens not only local economies but also the wider African innovation ecosystem as companies scale across borders.
Beyond the Nigerian startups, the cohort includes companies building AI-driven solutions across multiple sectors.
Startups such as Anda Africa, Loop, and VunaPay are focused on digital payments, financial inclusion, and mobility-linked transactions. Emaisha Pay is digitising agricultural trade by helping agro-traders manage produce, payments, and financing.
Meditect is improving access to medicines through pharmacy digitisation, while Safiri is developing infrastructure for more efficient movement of people and goods. Coamana and Duck are digitising informal retail markets and delivering real-time data insights.
Maad and ReportsAI are supporting business intelligence and data-driven decision-making, while Vambo AI is building multilingual AI systems tailored to African languages.
Programme strengthens Africa’s AI infrastructure push
The accelerator call for applications was launched on February 4, with Google committing to provide startups with access to its research expertise and specialised infrastructure, including cloud Tensor Processing Units (TPUs).
The initiative aims to remove infrastructure constraints that often limit early-stage innovation, allowing founders to focus on building scalable AI-driven products for African and global markets.
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