Nigeria’s startup funding landscape in 2025 was marked by heavy capital concentration, as a small group of well-established companies attracted the overwhelming share of investor funding.
According to compiled deal data, the top 11 most funded startups raised a combined $367.2 million, accounting for 82.93% of the total $442.8 million raised by 98 startups during the year.
This sharp concentration highlights investor preference for scale-ready business models amid tighter global funding conditions.
It is also noteworthy that 12 out of the 98 startups did not disclose the amounts raised, reinforcing long-standing transparency challenges within Africa’s private capital ecosystem.
Lagride’s $100 million strategic investment from UBA ranked as one of the largest single-ticket deals of the year. The transaction reflects rising institutional interest in logistics and mobility infrastructure as Nigeria’s e-commerce and supply-chain needs continue to expand.
- Deal date: December 2025
- Sector: Logistics & Transportation
- Number of deals: 1
- Deal type: Strategic investment
- Investor: United Bank for Africa (UBA)
Moniepoint emerged as Nigeria’s most funded startup in 2025, raising a combined $100 million across two venture rounds.
The fintech giant continues to dominate merchant acquiring, agency banking, and SME financial services.
Its repeat backing from Visa and global growth investors underscores strong confidence in its scale, profitability prospects, and regional expansion strategy.
- Deal date: January & October 2025
- Sector: Fintech
- Number of deals: 2
- Deal type: Venture round
- Investors: Visa, Development Partners International, LeapFrog Investments, Google For Startups Black Founders Fund, Verod Capital Management
What you should know
With 82.93% of total startup funding concentrated among just 11 companies, 2025 reinforced a clear investor preference for proven models, recurring revenues, and infrastructure-critical services. While this concentration reflects confidence in market leaders, it also underscores the tougher fundraising environment faced by early-stage startups.
The presence of 12 undisclosed funding amounts further suggests that actual capital flows may be higher, though unevenly distributed.
Overall, Nigeria’s startup ecosystem in 2025 remained resilient but selective—rewarding scale, defensibility, and clear paths to profitability in a year where capital was available, but only to the most compelling stories.
