Startupinsight

     By Ganiyi Jacinta Social media has officially overtaken many traditional channels as the most rapidly expanding method for Nigerian brands to connect with their customers. According to new industry data tracking advertising expenditure through 2026, the shift toward digital platforms is transforming the way businesses approach their marketing budgets. Social media advertising now stands as the single fastest-growing segment of the national digital advertising market. Spending in this space was valued at approximately USD 130 million in 2024 and is projected to climb to nearly USD 217 million by 2029. This aggressive pace of growth places social media firmly ahead of many older advertising formats that previously dominated the landscape.   Short-form video is the primary engine driving this massive rise. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are generating significantly higher engagement rates than traditional static posts or long form videos...

  By Zara Babatunde Here's Ellicash, a global payments and digital finance app, and a product of Ellington Technologies DIFC Dubai and Ellington Microfinance Bank in partnership with GCC Exchange UK, has unveiled its cross-border payment platform alongside two major initiatives: a user rewards campaign and a strategic partnership program designed to scale its reach across Africa and beyond. Ellicash enables users to send, receive, and manage funds across borders in multiple currencies through a single, seamless app. The platform offers virtual cards, multi-currency support, instant transfers, and digital investment opportunities including gold and stock purchases, positioning it as a comprehensive financial tool for global citizens, freelancers, businesses, and everyday users. The company stated: "Our vision is to make global payments effortless for everyone. The future of money is borderless, and Ellicash is building the infrastructure to make that future accessible to all. W...

By Pat Vivian On one of the days that Counseling Africa’s team visited a primary health centre in Ibadan’s Oke Apon community, only two women showed up for antenatal care. It was a small moment, but it said something large: that even the basic infrastructure of maternal health engagement was not guaranteed in every community. If two women were the turnout for antenatal care, what were the chances that postpartum depression had ever come up in conversation? That question is what brought Counseling Africa, a youth-led mental health organisation, into ten Ibadan communities between May and June 2026. The six-week outreach spanned ten primary health centres across Ibadan, combining direct engagement with women at antenatal clinic sessions in five communities, Sango, Ojoo, Iwo Road, Oke Apon, and Agbowo, with infographic postings at all ten locations including Eleyele, Oke Itunu, Apete, Onireke, and Ogunpa. Mental health pamphlets were distributed to mothers on speaking days. Over 100 mothe...

  By Damilola Fathai | Senior Reporter As conversations about Nigeria's technology ecosystem intensify, attention often gravitates towards Lagos, Abuja, and a handful of other established hubs. Yet innovation has never been confined to a single city, and over the past few years, a growing movement in Cross River State has been working to prove exactly that. At the centre of that movement is the Tech  Conference Calabar  the biggest tech conference in the ancient city of Calabar, organised by  Calabar Tech Community  and convened by  Amani Kanu  aka the Tech Evangelist alongside co-founders Florence Egwu, Grace Effiong, and Bassey Archibong. What began as a community-driven effort to connect technology professionals, entrepreneurs, students, and innovators has evolved into one of the most significant technology gatherings in Southern Nigeria. Its growth reflects the broader journey of the Calabar Tech Community itself, which started in 2021 as a WhatsAp...

 By Keneth Lola More than 600 educators, policymakers, technology partners, financial institutions and education stakeholders converged on June 6 in Asaba, Delta State, for the High Impact Conference for Educators (HICE 2026), a landmark event dedicated to strengthening the teaching profession and advancing educational transformation across Nigeria. Held at the Southend Event Centre under the theme, _"Empowering Educators: The Path to Transformation,"_ the conference was organised by The Explore Foundation in strategic partnership with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The event underscored the critical role of teachers in driving sustainable development and improving learning outcomes across the country. The one-day conference brought together educators, policymakers, financial institutions, development organisations and technology providers to explore practical strategies for improving education across the Niger Delta and beyond. Speaking at the conference, the...

    How LeadstackHR Is Killing the Spreadsheet Era, One Nigerian Workplace at a Time Picture this: It’s the last Friday of the month. Salaries are due tomorrow. Your payroll spreadsheet has a formula error buried in column Q. Three employees are calling your phone. The MD wants a headcount report by noon. And somewhere on your desk, under a pile of unsigned leave forms, is a CV for a role you needed to fill two weeks ago. Sound familiar? For thousands of HR professionals across Nigeria, this isn’t a nightmare. It’s a Tuesday. But it doesn’t have to be. A new era of HR management has arrived in Nigeria, and for small and medium-sized businesses, the most exciting part is this: it’s completely free. Start Free Today - Visit  https://leadstackhr.com The “How It’s Always Been Done” Problem Let’s be honest about the state of HR in many Nigerian organisations. Payroll lives in an Excel file that only one person understands. Recruitment means printing CVs, losing track of promis...

   By John Kayode Counterfeiting has become one of the most damaging threats to businesses, consumers, and economies across Africa. From pharmaceuticals and food products to electronics, cosmetics, and industrial goods, counterfeit products continue to infiltrate markets, costing businesses billions in lost revenue while putting consumers at significant risk. For Nigerian technology entrepreneur Akachukwu Nwabueze, this challenge represents more than a market problem—it is a trust problem. As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Blockmec Technology, Nwabueze has spent years developing digital infrastructure designed to address one of the most overlooked issues in modern commerce: product authenticity. His solution, known as Blockmec Verify, is emerging as a powerful trust infrastructure that enables manufacturers, distributors, retailers, regulators, and consumers to verify the authenticity of products in real time. The Hidden Cost of Counterfeit Goods According to globa...