Google has selected 15 startups from across seven African nations for the ninth cohort of its Google for Startups Accelerator Africa programme, placing a strong emphasis on the use of artificial intelligence to solve pressing challenges.
The chosen startups, hailing from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Senegal, and South Africa, are innovating across key sectors including fintech, agritech, healthtech, and logistics all driven by AI.
The announcement, made by Google on Tuesday, follows a rigorous selection process from a competitive pool of nearly 1,500 applications submitted from across the continent. Of the final 15, six are Nigerian startups, highlighting Nigeria’s growing influence in Africa’s tech ecosystem.
“African startups are using AI to solve real challenges, and this programme supports them with the resources to scale,” said Folarin Aiyegbusi, Google’s Head of Startup Ecosystem, Africa.
“We are proud to support founders who are building inclusive solutions and shaping the future of AI on the continent,” he added.
Programme Details
Running from June to August 22, the three-month accelerator offers:
- Technical mentorship from Google engineers and industry leaders
- Up to $350,000 in Google Cloud credits
- Tailored guidance in AI integration, product development, and business scaling
- Access to a global network of investors, partners, and collaborators
Since its inception in 2018, the programme has supported 153 startups from 17 African countries, collectively raising over $300 million in funding and creating more than 3,500 jobs. Google has provided $5 million in equity-free funding and product support.
Nigerian Startups Selected
Among the Nigerian startups selected:
- E-doc Online – Streamlines compliance and credit checks with real-time banking data.
- GoNomad – Enables African businesses to invoice and operate globally.
- Middleman – Simplifies import processes from China for African traders.
- Myltura – A digital health platform for remote care and data management.
- Pastel – Develops AI-powered tools, including fraud detection.
Other notable participants include Apexloads (a logistics platform from Kenya) and Afrikabal (a Rwandan agritech company leveraging blockchain and AI).
Startups from Ghana, Ethiopia, Senegal, and South Africa also feature in the 2025 cohort, further underscoring the continent-wide momentum behind tech-driven entrepreneurship.
