The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) startups in Nigeria marks an important milestone in the nation’s tech ecosystem.
With the recent announcement from the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, about a forthcoming $1.5 million initiative to bolster AI development, Nigeria is poised for an even more profound impact on the continent’s tech ecosystem.
Currently, Nigeria boasts over 400 AI firms and startups, making it the second-largest player in Africa’s AI landscape as of 2024.
This growth can be attributed to Nigeria’s strong technological foundation, which has made it a focal point for both domestic and global investors. The country is set to host GITEX in 2025.
However, the journey has not been without its challenges.
Just weeks prior, the Ministry launched a N100 million AI Fund in collaboration with Google, which faced criticism for its perceived inadequacy in fueling the AI revolution. In response, Minister Tijani emphasized that the government’s approach involves pooling resources and fostering partnerships to expand the capabilities of the AI sector.
The upcoming initiatives, including the establishment of the National Artificial Intelligence Trust, aim to ensure that AI development is ethical, safe, and sustainable, promoting local languages and community engagement in the process.
This holistic strategy not only seeks to improve the nation’s economy but also aims to enhance the quality of life for Nigerians through innovative applications of AI.
As we delve into the journeys of seven remarkable AI startup founders of Nigerian descent, we explore how their visions and contributions are shaping Africa’s $480 billion tech ecosystem, driving the narrative of a continent on the brink of an AI-driven future.
Silas Adekunle-Founder/CEO of Awarri
Silas Adekunle, a pioneering force in robotics and AI, is the co-founder and CEO of Reach Industries, dedicated to enhancing laboratory efficiency through innovative technologies.
He also founded Awarri, which aims to foster AI and robotics education across Africa, addressing significant local challenges. Previously, he led Reach Robotics, where he launched Mekamon, the world’s first augmented reality gaming robot, garnering recognition as the highest-paid robotics engineer globally and a spot on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in 2018.
With a BSc in Robotics from the University of the West of England, where he graduated with First Class Honours, Silas’s expertise lies in bridging the gap between advanced technology and practical applications. His entrepreneurial journey has attracted over $10 million in investments, including backing from London Venture Partners.
Adebayo Alonge-Co founder RxAll
Adebayo Alonge, a visionary entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience, is the Group CEO of RxAll, StorsApp, and Frontières Bay Energies. His ventures harness cutting-edge AI technology in health, finance, and climate solutions to empower small businesses, particularly in underserved markets, by expanding access to quality medicine, working capital, and renewable energy.
RxAll is powered by AI and machine learning, designed to authenticate medicine quality within just 20 seconds. By analyzing medicine composition in real-time through miniaturized spectrometry, the device connects to a mobile app and a cloud-based AI system to provide instant quality reports.
Alonge holds degrees from Yale and Harvard in finance, public policy, and pharmaceutical sciences, reflecting his deep commitment to impactful innovation. Recognized with multiple awards, including the Cheng Fellowship, the Hello Tomorrow DeepTech Prize, and the Mandela Washington Award.
With a proven track record in fundraising, he has successfully raised over $11 million in venture capital and grants and spearheaded sales exceeding $180 million. His work not only addresses pressing issues but also drives economic growth, job creation, and improved living standards.
Alonge has led the company since October 2017, scaling it across multiple African markets to deliver authenticated medicines to over 3 million patients monthly, with annual revenues growing by 300% yearly.
Under his leadership, RxAll raised $10M from Tier 1 VCs, such as SOSV and Katapult, and received numerous accolades, including the 2019 Hello Tomorrow DeepTech award and Microsoft’s Best DeepTech Platform in Africa. The company has expanded internationally with subsidiaries in Nigeria, Kenya, and Canada.
Ebuka Obi-Founder Autogon AI
Ebuka Obi is the innovative founder and CEO of Autogon AI dubbed Nigerian Chatgpt, providing a no-code platform, Autogon Studio, designed for businesses to develop and deploy AI models without extensive coding knowledge.
Before founding Autogon, Ebuka co-founded IdentityPass, where he was pivotal in defining the company’s technological vision and managing a multi-functional team. His role as CTO at Techvant Technology Solutions involved implementing strategic technical frameworks and developing machine learning models to enhance product features.
At FUERTE Technology Solutions, he led AI projects, from model development and resource management to data quality and deployment strategy.
Ebuka also served as Lead IT Security at AppZone Group, where he implemented comprehensive information security protocols and maintained compliance with PCI-DSS standards, significantly enhancing customer confidence.
Autogon AI, launched in November 2023, is a NoCode AI infrastructure designed to help businesses and individuals build and deploy custom AI models without technical expertise. Currently in its seed round, Autogon has raised half of its target with investors like FastForward. According to Pitchbook the startup has raised $100,000.
It enables diverse applications across industries. In finance, it detects fraud and predicts loan defaults, reducing financial risk. In healthcare, it aids drug discovery and improves diagnostics through AI vision technology. Autogon also provides tools for 24/7 virtual assistance, localized video content creation, and insurance fraud detection
Henry Mascot-CEO of Curacel
Henry, co-founder and CEO of Curacel, is driving change in the insurance sector across emerging markets through modern AI infrastructure. Mascot has raised $3.5 million from leading venture capital firms, including YCombinator, Tencent, and Google.
Curacel’s AI technology revolutionizes vehicle damage assessment for insurers by providing instant, data-driven damage estimates. Through advanced image analysis, the AI can accurately evaluate damage, allowing insurers to bypass lengthy, traditional inspection processes.
Before Curacel, Henry shaped growth strategies at notable tech ventures. At 54Gene—dubbed the 23andMe of Africa and backed with $94.7 million in funding—he led sales and partnerships, signing essential medical providers and driving acquisition strategy. His work was instrumental in scaling 54Gene’s provider partner network and bolstering its expansion efforts.
Henry’s earlier role as Growth Lead at AmplifyPay, Nigeria’s first recurring payments gateway (later acquired by Carbon), showcased his acumen in financial tech. He spearheaded growth for AmplifyPay’s MTransfers platform, a unique embedded banking tool, helping secure partnerships with top-tier Nigerian banks, including GTBank, Zenith, and Access. Henry’s educational background includes an engineering degree and a diploma from MEST Africa, a renowned entrepreneurial training institute supporting Africa’s top tech talent.
Udoka Mark-Founder Intelia
Udoka Mark is a seasoned technology entrepreneur and engineer with a background in leading transformative companies. Since December 2016, he has served as CEO of Intelia, an AI startup that redefines software development with a data-oriented engineering approach aimed at maximizing enterprise value while minimizing project risks.
Before Intelia, Udoka was CEO of Kinetic Base Inc. from April 2012 to March 2015, focusing on smart electronics and enterprise-grade software solutions. Under his leadership, Kinetic Base developed products that reimagined the interaction between consumers and banking institutions. Prior to that, from June 2008 to June 2013, he co-founded Cubix Labs in New York City with Salman Lakhani. Cubix, a high-tech company specializing in new media technology and social media, grew to an 85-person team with a global presence.
Udoka began his career as an electrical engineer at DuPont from June 2007 to June 2009, where he concentrated on plant design and programmable logic controllers. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Duke University and a Master’s in Engineering Management from Johns Hopkins University.
Intelia, a Lagos-based tech company, uses AI to track project progress in near real-time, Intelia reduces risks and boosts efficiency—a big draw for its clients. Major names like Walmart, Sony, DreamWorks Animation, and Heineken have tapped Intelia’s expertise to streamline their operations. Focused on using data science to improve how software is developed and delivered, Intelia is quickly becoming a trusted partner for both international brands and the local market.
Charles Onu-Co founder CEO Ubenwa Health
Charles Onu is the co-founder and CEO of Ubenwa Health, a Montreal-based startup using AI to analyze infant cries for early detection of health conditions. Since 2022, he has led Ubenwa’s pioneering efforts in infant diagnostics, working closely with pediatric hospitals worldwide.
Ubenwa was co-founded by Charles Onu, after moving from Nigeria to Canada in 2015. He earned his doctorate in Machine Learning at McGill University and conducted research at Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute. Onu’s vision for Ubenwa is shared with co-founders Samantha Latremouille, who holds a PhD in Experimental Medicine from McGill, and Innocent Udeogu. Together, they aim to leverage AI to support early and accessible diagnostics in infant health, addressing a significant gap in neonatal care for parents and healthcare providers alike
His foundational studies in Electronics and Computer Engineering were completed at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria (2006-2011). In addition, he attended the AI Stream at Creative Destruction Lab (2020-2021), further expanding his expertise in AI-driven innovation.
Founded in 2017, Ubenwa is a healthcare AI startup that uses artificial intelligence to analyze infants’ cries and detect early signs of conditions like birth asphyxia. The company raised $2.5 million in pre-seed funding in 2023.
Emmanuel Okeleji-Co-founder of SeamlessHR
SeamlessHR was founded in 2018, by Emmanuel Okeleji co-founded SeamlessHR alongside his friend Deji Lana. The Ai, cloud technology company is dedicated to enhancing productivity and optimizing workforce management for businesses across Africa.
SeamlessHR provides an all-in-one HR and payroll software solution tailored for emerging markets. Described as “Workday for emerging markets,” SeamlessHR simplifies the hiring process, onboarding, and management of HR activities. Its platform offers tools for payroll, performance and application tracking, workforce planning, and succession planning, allowing companies to focus on their core business functions across various industries, including banking, oil and gas, healthcare, and manufacturing.
Emmanuel currently serves as the CEO of SeamlessHR, leading a talented team that develops innovative HR software solutions and fostering growth across Nigeria, Ghana, and East Africa, with plans for aggressive expansion into global emerging markets. Before SeamlessHR, he was the Founding Assistant Project Director at Evercare Hospital, Lekki,Emmanuel also served as the CEO of Insidify.com Limited, which launched Africa’s first social job site, aggregating job listings from various platforms and later pivoting to SeamlessHR.
Additionally, he co-founded Waressence Nigeria Limited, an enterprise software development company that served Nigerian corporates and governments, including major clients like MTN, UBA, and First Bank.
He holds an MB.ch.B in Medicine and Surgery from Obafemi Awolowo University and completed an Advanced Business Strategy program at Harvard Business School Executive Education in October 2022.
Note: The individuals featured in this compilation have been carefully selected by a distinguished panel of editors, experts, and analysts at Nairametrics.
It is important to note that none of the individuals listed have solicited their inclusion.
While this list aims to be comprehensive, it is by no means exhaustive; numerous other contributors have played significant roles in advancing the Artificial intelligence industry in Nigeria and Africa.
This compilation is exclusive to Nairametrics and may be updated periodically to reflect changes and advancements in the field. Feedback will be appreciated.