Digital skills
Top 10 Nigerian Tech Entrepreneurs to Know in 2025
Introduction
Nigeria is now one of Africa’s leading tech hubs, and not by chance. From Lagos to Abuja, Enugu to Kaduna, young Nigerians are building world-class companies, developing powerful apps, and solving real problems with technology.
But behind these great ideas are the minds that create them, Nigerian tech entrepreneurs who are using innovation to change lives. Some are well-established names with billion-dollar companies. Others are fresh talents rising fast, breaking records, and gaining global attention.
In this article, we celebrate 10 of the most influential Nigerian tech entrepreneurs in 2025, a mix of trailblazers and new voices. From fintech to edtech, AI to digital publishing, these are the people shaping Africa’s digital future.
1. Olugbenga “GB” Agboola – CEO & Co-founder of Flutterwave
Tribe: Yoruba
Company: Flutterwave (Fintech)
Olugbenga Agboola, popularly known as GB, is one of Nigeria’s most successful tech entrepreneurs. He co-founded Flutterwave, a fintech company that allows African businesses to accept and send payments easily, locally and internationally.
Under his leadership, Flutterwave became a unicorn (a company valued at over $1 billion), serving more than 30 countries. Big names like Uber, PiggyVest, and Flywire use Flutterwave’s system.
What makes GB special is his vision for connecting Africa through payments. He continues to mentor young founders and expand into new areas like virtual cards, marketplaces, and remittance solutions.
Olugbenga Agboola
2. Odunayo Eweniyi – Co-founder of PiggyVest & FirstCheck Africa
Tribe: Yoruba
Company: PiggyVest (Fintech / Savings & Investment)
Odunayo is a bold and brilliant woman changing how Nigerians manage money. She co-founded PiggyVest, a savings and investment platform with over 4 million users.
She also co-founded FirstCheck Africa, an investment fund that supports female-led tech startups. Through this, she empowers other women to become founders, developers, and tech leaders.
Odunayo is an active voice for inclusion, gender equality, and accountability in Nigeria’s tech space. She often says, “Women are not a minority in tech — they are a rising force.”
Odunayo Eweniyi
3. Kennedy Ekezie-Joseph – Co-founder & CEO of Kippa
Tribe: Igbo
Company: Kippa (Fintech / SME solutions)
Kennedy Ekezie-Joseph is part of a new generation of Nigerian tech founders. He co-founded Kippa, a financial management app for small businesses. With Kippa, users can track sales, send invoices, manage debt, and access loans all from their phones.
Kippa now supports over 500,000 businesses across Nigeria. In 2024, Kennedy made Forbes 30 Under 30 North America, a rare honor for a Nigerian-based founder.
Kennedy is known for blending strong product design with deep user understanding. His work helps thousands of small traders become more organized and profitable.
Kennedy Ekezie
4. Blessing Abeng – Co-founder of Disha & Ingressive for Good
Tribe: Igbo
Companies: Disha (Acquired by Flutterwave), Ingressive for Good (Nonprofit)
Blessing Abeng is a creative force in African tech and branding. She co-founded Disha, a digital tool that helps creators build simple web pages and portfolios. In 2021, Disha was acquired by Flutterwave, making her one of the few Nigerian women to co-found a startup bought by a unicorn.
She also leads Ingressive for Good, a nonprofit providing free tech training, laptops, and scholarships to African youth. So far, the organization has reached over 150,000 beneficiaries across Nigeria and beyond.
Blessing uses her platform to talk about representation, access, and sustainable impact. She believes every African youth deserves a seat at the tech table.
5. Chinedu Echeruo – Founder of HopStop (Acquired by Apple)
Tribe: Igbo
Company: HopStop (Navigation / Transit App)
Though now based in the U.S., Chinedu Echeruo remains one of the most iconic names in Nigerian tech history. He built HopStop, an app that helped people navigate cities using buses, subways, and trains.
In 2013, Apple acquired HopStop to improve Apple Maps, a major win for African tech representation.
Chinedu now mentors African startups through his venture studio, Love & Magic Company, where he promotes human-centered innovation. He encourages young Nigerians to build for real problems, not just trends.
Chinedu Echeruo
6. Temie Giwa-Tubosun – Founder of LifeBank
Tribe: Yoruba
Company: LifeBank (Health-tech)
Temie Giwa-Tubosun is a health-tech innovator saving lives across Nigeria. She founded LifeBank, a medical distribution company that delivers blood, oxygen, and essential supplies to hospitals using GPS technology.
Temie’s idea was born from a personal experience where access to medical care could’ve made a life-or-death difference. Her solution is now used in multiple states and has helped deliver over 30,000 pints of blood to patients in need.
She was named by the BBC as one of the 100 most inspiring women in the world, and LifeBank has expanded to Kenya and Ethiopia.
Temie proves that technology can save lives especially in a country where health systems are under pressure.
7. Onyeka Akumah – Founder of Treepz (Formerly Plentywaka)
Tribe: Igbo
Company: Treepz (Mobility/Transport-Tech)
Onyeka Akumah is a multiple-time tech founder best known for Treepz, a shared mobility platform helping people find safe, reliable transportation in busy African cities.
Treepz (formerly Plentywaka) launched in Nigeria but has expanded to Ghana, Uganda, and Kenya. It offers bus-sharing and transport services tailored for African commuters.
Before Treepz, Onyeka co-founded Farmcrowdy, an agritech platform that allowed people to invest in farms online.
He’s admired for his vision, branding skill, and ability to scale fast — and has been recognized in Africa’s “Under 40 CEO” lists.
8. John Oseni – Young Tech Prodigy and Software Engineer
Tribe: Yoruba
Specialty: Software, Open Source, and Developer Advocacy
John Oseni is only in his early 20s, but he’s already a global ambassador for young African tech talent. He started coding at 15 and became one of Nigeria’s most promising developers.
He has worked with global blockchain, fintech, and edtech companies and was honored with the Global Child Prodigy Award and the Nigeria Metro Award.
John advocates for open-source collaboration and mentors young students on how to get into tech without expensive degrees.
He represents the growing number of self-taught Nigerian developers who are building their futures from humble beginnings often with just a laptop and free internet.
9. Dr. Success Ojo – Co-founder of GMind AI
Tribe: Igbo
Company: GMind AI (Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning)
Dr. Success Ojo is pushing boundaries in AI and machine learning in Africa. As the co-founder and CEO of GMind AI, he builds solutions in healthcare, education, and business analytics.
Under his leadership, GMind AI trained over 50,000 users across Nigeria and Africa on AI tools and data intelligence.
He has received multiple awards for innovation, and his company helps businesses and students use AI in practical, local ways, from chatbots to smart learning systems.
His work makes AI accessible, not just for researchers, but for the everyday African user.
10. Chioma Ekeh – CEO of TD Africa & Advocate for Women in ICT
Tribe: Igbo
Company: TD Africa (ICT Distribution & Empowerment)
Chioma Ekeh is one of the few women leading a major tech distribution company in Nigeria. As CEO of TD Africa, she plays a critical role in connecting Nigeria to the global tech supply chain.
Beyond her corporate success, she is the founder of The Herwakening, a platform that supports female entrepreneurs in tech and beyond. She also leads Girls in ICT Nigeria, a movement to mentor and train young women in digital literacy and ICT careers.
Chioma stands at the crossroads of tech leadership, youth empowerment, and women’s rights. She reminds us that leadership in tech isn’t only about building apps, it’s also about building people.
What These Tech Entrepreneurs Have in Common
Although these founders grew up in different parts of Nigeria, they share several traits that set them apart. Their stories reveal patterns any aspiring innovator can follow.
1. They Focused on Solving Problems
Each company began with a clear pain point:
HopStop solved the confusion of city travel.
PiggyVest made digital saving simple.
Konga addressed the need for reliable online shopping.
None of these entrepreneurs waited for perfect conditions or foreign solutions. They started locally and tackled real needs.
2. They Embraced Technology Early
Some built digital tools long before “tech startup” was a buzzword; others saw the future of online payments, virtual learning, and AI. Many taught themselves coding, design, fundraising, or business development. Whether self-taught or formally trained, they shared one habit: learn fast, apply immediately.
3. They Created Opportunities for Others
True success isn’t measured only in revenue. These leaders:
- Mentor new founders.
- Invest in smaller startups.
- Hire hundreds of creators, teachers, and engineers.
In short, they lift others as they rise.
Challenges They Faced
Nigeria offers talent and creativity, but launching a startup here is no easy ride. Common obstacles include:
Infrastructure gaps – patchy internet, unstable power, slow logistics.
Limited funding – overseas investors only recently began paying attention.
Trust barriers – early users were wary of online platforms.
Policy uncertainty – sudden regulations that can disrupt fintech, transport, or e-commerce overnight.
Through bootstrapping, partnerships, and mobile-first strategies, these founders kept moving forward despite the odds.
Women in Nigerian Tech
The ecosystem was once heavily male-dominated, but leaders like Odunayo Eweniyi and Temie Giwa-Tubosun have proven that gender is no barrier to building powerful platforms. They’re not only running high-impact companies; they’re mentoring young girls, launching accelerator programs for female founders, and helping create a more inclusive tech scene.
The Rise of Tech Hubs
Much of this progress is tied to local innovation hubs such as CcHub, The Nest, Genesys Tech Hub, Roar Nigeria Hub, and Startup Arewa. These centers provide co-working space, early funding, training, and direct access to investors giving thousands of young Nigerians the chance to dream, build, and scale without leaving the country.
Where Nigerian Tech Is Headed
More startups are moving into agritech, health-tech, logistics, education, and blockchain.
- Local funding pools and supportive government policies are expanding.
- Young people are mastering tech skills via free courses, YouTube tutorials, and remote internships.
- Global firms are setting up Nigerian offices or writing large equity cheques.
With the right support, the next billion-dollar company could emerge from a small town or a university dorm room.
Conclusion
What unites these entrepreneurs is not just intelligence or hard work, it’s vision. They prove that the best solutions for Nigeria can and should be built in Nigeria.
- They refused to wait for imported answers.
- They turned everyday headaches into business opportunities.
- Their journeys show that resources are helpful, but resolve is essential.
Thousands of young people are now learning to code, design, pitch, and scale businesses. If you’re a student, a recent graduate, or anyone with a problem-solving mindset, remember You don’t need to leave home to make an impact.
You don’t need ideal conditions to begin.
All you need is a clear problem, a solid plan, and the courage to build.
The world is paying attention. The next standout name in African tech could be yours.
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