Nigeria reclaims Africa’s startup funding lead as investments rise to $635 million

Nigeria has officially reclaimed its position as Africa’s top destination for startup venture capital funding, Data released by market intelligence firm Africa: The Big Deal shows that Nigerian startups secured $635 million in investment between January and September 2026. The total represents a 157% surge more than 2.5 times the $247 million raised during the corresponding period in 2025 marking Nigeria’s strongest performance over the first three quarters of any year since 2022.