Despite a cautious investment climate across Africa’s startup ecosystem, some startup founders are still attracting funding.
In Nigeria, founders continue to convince investors why their innovations are worth their backing.
Although the month, just like several months in recent times, did not record any big big ticket, six Nigerian founders still managed to get investors to sign cheques for them in April.
The founders behind these startups are not just building companies. They are also shaping solutions around financial inclusion, food access, healthcare innovation, debt recovery, and environmental sustainability in one of Africa’s toughest operating environments.
The six founders raised a total of $4 million in the month, but only one of them accounted for 77% of the total, leaving the remaining five just with 23% of the total raise.
Here are the six Nigerian startup founders who successfully closed funding rounds or strategic deals in April 2026.
Chinenye Nlemchi – Trashcoin ($100,000 venture round)
Chinenye Nlemchi is co-founder and Executive Director at Trashcoin, a sustainability-focused startup that raised $100,000 in a venture round in April as investors increasingly turned attention toward climate and environmental innovation.
The startup was founded alongside Nnodim Eliot Wogu and Damilola Daramola, who are building solutions aimed at improving waste management and recycling systems through technology.
Nlemchi graduated from the University of Ghana, where she bagged Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2019.
The founders identified growing environmental and waste management challenges across urban communities and saw an opportunity to create a business that combines sustainability with practical impact. Their work reflects increasing interest in climate-focused startups emerging from Africa.
Tunde Elegba– Surgepay ($100,000 grant)
Tunde Elegba, founder of fintech startup Surgepay, secured a $100,000 grant in April, adding fresh momentum to the company’s growth plans.
Elegba founded Surgepay with a focus on building digital financial solutions aimed at improving payment experiences and expanding access to financial services. His startup operates within Nigeria’s vibrant fintech ecosystem, which continues to attract innovators seeking to solve payment and inclusion challenges.
A graduate of the University of Missouri St. Louis College of Business Administration, Elegbe previously worked at SSM Health, where he honed the skills that now empower SurgePay to deliver robust software solutions.
Elegba has focused on building solutions within a highly competitive environment where access to funding remains difficult for many startups.
The grant funding represents an important milestone for Surgepay, particularly at a stage where many startups rely heavily on ecosystem support and early backing to refine products and scale operations.
Felix Daniel–NectarFi ($200,000 pre-seed round)
Felix Daniel co-founded NectarFi with Stephanie Okeke. The founders secured $200,000 in preseed funding in April, providing an early boost for the startup.
NectarFi is a fintech startup powering Payments and Savings in Emerging Markets with Stablecoins.
Daniel, a 2020 graduate of University of Nsukka, leads NectarFi as the CEO. Before co-found the startup, Daniel had a stint at two companies, including being a Developer Advocate at Solana Foundation, and later Community Manager at Cube Group Inc.
Although still at an early stage, NectarFi’s successful pre seed raise highlights growing investor interest in fintech startups addressing practical financial challenges in emerging markets.
Estelle Dogbo– Biovana ($200,000 venture round)
Healthcare startup Biovana raised $200,000 in a venture round in April, giving founders Estelle Dogbo and Jumi Popoola additional resources to scale their operations within Africa’s growing healthtech sector.
Estelle Dogbo, co-founder and CEO, is a business leader and data infrastructure strategist focused on enabling responsible access to high-quality underrepresented datasets and biospecimens for global research.
Former Roche and Sanofi executive, she holds an MSc in Cell Biology (Université Paris Sorbonne Nord) and an MBA in Biotech Management (IONIS STM), and previously served as Head of Africa at 54gene where she supported the development of B2G initiatives and the deployment of large-scale genomic research infrastructure.
As CEO of BioVana, Estelle leads the company’s strategy and partnerships, working at the intersection of biotech, hospitals, biobanks, and regulators to structure research-ready data ecosystems across Africa.
Both founders have been part of efforts to build solutions that respond to gaps in healthcare delivery, particularly in markets where access, affordability, and efficiency remain major concerns. Their work reflects the broader rise of female-led innovation within Africa’s startup ecosystem.
Daniel Afolayan– Baskett ($300,000 venture round)
Daniel Afolayan, founder of food commerce startup Baskett, secured $300,000 in venture funding in April as investors continued to show confidence in technology-driven food distribution businesses.
Daniel Afolayan is a Y Combinator alumnus and repeat founder with deep experience in agriculture, supply chains, and market systems in Nigeria.
He previously built Sendme, a YC-backed venture that digitized fresh food distribution across multiple cities.
At Baskett, Daniel brings years of on-the-ground experience working with farmers, suppliers, and buyers to solve the structural inefficiencies that keep African food systems fragmented. His work is driven by a clear vision to build Africa’s most trusted and efficient agricultural supply chain.
Afolayan founded Baskett to address inefficiencies in Nigeria’s food supply chain, particularly the challenges consumers face in accessing affordable groceries and food products conveniently. The startup operates within the agriculture and food commerce sector, leveraging technology and logistics to simplify food delivery and purchasing.
Under his leadership, Baskett has grown its presence in Nigeria’s increasingly competitive food commerce market, where startups are racing to solve delivery, pricing, and accessibility challenges for urban consumers.
The newly secured capital is expected to support operational growth, logistics improvements, and customer expansion efforts for the company.
Julian Flosbach, Co-founder/CEO– Bfree ($3.1 million venture round)
Julian Flosbach, based is the co-founder and CEO of Bfree, a debt recovery Nigerian fintech startup.
He co-founded the company with Julian, Chukwudi Enyi, and Moses “Azubuike” Nmor, who identified the growing problem of non-performing loans and poor debt recovery systems across Africa’s rapidly expanding digital lending ecosystem.
Their goal was to create a more ethical, technology-driven debt collection process that improves recovery rates while protecting customer relationships.
Flosbach leads Bfree with experience from previous roles at FairMoney, Rautenberg & Company GmbH, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management and DEG.
Flosbach holds a Master of Arts (M.A.) in International Business, Regional Specialisation on Africa from Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, with a robust skill set that includes Private Equity, Microsoft Office, Business Strategy, Finanzwesen, Unternehmensfinanzierung and more.
Bfree led the funding chart in April after securing $3.1 million in a venture round, making it the largest disclosed raise involving Nigerian founders during the month.
Since launching, Bfree has expanded beyond Nigeria into other African markets, working with banks, fintechs, and lenders that require better loan recovery systems. The company uses artificial intelligence, automation, and behavioral analytics to engage borrowers and improve repayment outcomes.
The latest funding round is expected to support Bfree’s product development, geographic expansion, and scaling ambitions as digital lending continues to grow across Africa.
