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GITEX Nigeria 2025 Roadshow Arrives in Uyo to Spotlight South-South Startups
The vibrant city of Uyo, Akwa Ibom, played host to the fourth stop of the GITEX Nigeria 2025 Roadshow, a nationwide tour identifying high-potential startups for global exposure. Uyo followed previous roadshow events in Enugu (South-East), Gombe (North-East), and Abuja (North-Central). The roadshow is part of preparations for GITEX Nigeria 2025, scheduled for September 1–4 in Abuja and Lagos.
RELATED: NITDA begins GITEX Nigeria 2025 Roadshow in Enugu and Gombe
Driving Regional Innovation Across Nigeria
Organized by the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI)—a special purpose vehicle of NITDA—in partnership with the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), the GITEX Roadshow promotes inclusive innovation and ensures representation from all six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
In Uyo, startups from Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo, and Rivers States pitched groundbreaking ideas and digital solutions. Similarly, the Abuja leg brought together tech innovators from Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kogi, Niger, and the FCT.
Winning Startups to Represent Nigeria at GITEX Lagos
At the close of Uyo’s pitch session, four standout startups emerged:
- Runteller (1st Place)
- Green Paragon Ltd (2nd Place)
- Boifiok Nigeria Limited & Acecore Ltd (Joint 3rd Place)
These startups will represent the South-South at GITEX Nigeria 2025 in Lagos, joining winners from other regions to compete for a chance to attend GITEX Global 2026 in Dubai.
Uyo Startups
- Gide by The Roothub
- SUBA Capital
- Runteller
- Genova Transact
- AquaTrack Limited
- Skillphore Technologies Limited
- Boifiok Nigeria Limited
- truQ
- SmartChurch Application
- Siliconverse
- Locoomo
- EarlyFounders Labs
- Green Paargon LTD
- Acecore Ltd
- Chat WaZoBia AI
- Droomwork
- EldaKerr
- Croftop Agro- Agripro
- Inwangfoods
- Zummey Technologies
- SaveBox
Abuja Roadshow Highlights North Central’s Best
Earlier in Abuja, 18 startups pitched solutions across mobility, healthtech, fintech, and agritech. Abuja’s pitch session saw fierce competition with top startups such as HiPrep and BridgePay taking leading spots.
Abuja Startups
1. 93 Rides
2. Letmoveit.ng
3. BetaLife Health
4. Riwe
5. BASIPAY
6. Biuda
7. OneClick-Med
8. HiPrep
9. BridgePay
10. FundusAI LTD
11. Neurosync BCI
12. Goloka Analytics
13. 7mobile
14. SchoolSQL
15. BlinkCore Technology Limited
16. e-Limi
17. Agrovesto
18. TradeBorderSync
NITDA Reaffirms Commitment to National Tech Empowerment
Representing NITDA Director General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Mr. Sotonye Kalio, Assistant Director at ONDI, reaffirmed NITDA’s dedication to scaling innovation nationwide. He emphasized that the Roadshow is a strategic initiative to prepare startups for international engagement, investment readiness, and digital business acceleration.
“Our goal is clear: promote indigenous solutions and amplify Nigeria’s innovation narrative globally,” Abdullahi said.
GITEX Nigeria: A Springboard to Global Recognition
The roadshow’s goal is to curate and spotlight the best of Nigeria’s startup talent for global investors and audiences. According to Abdullahi, the initiative reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Dr. Bosun Tijani’s leadership at the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, focusing on digital infrastructure, youth empowerment, and economic transformation.
Akwa Ibom State Commended for Digital Vision
Delivering the keynote address, Mr. Hanson Johnson praised Governor Pastor Umo Eno for aligning Akwa Ibom’s digital transformation strategy with national aspirations. He noted that hosting the South-South pitch reaffirms the state’s role in Nigeria’s growing innovation landscape.
“This Roadshow is no longer just a prelude. It is a defining moment in Nigeria’s digital journey,” Johnson said.
Dubai World Trade Centre Backs Nigeria’s Innovation Push
Mr. Akande Ojo, representing the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), lauded the strong partnership with Nigeria and expressed enthusiasm over the country’s debut hosting of GITEX on its own soil.
Upcoming Roadshow Events in Kano and Lagos
With successful events in Enugu, Gombe, Abuja, and Uyo, the Roadshow continues to Kano (July 29) and Lagos (July 31). These events will culminate in GITEX Nigeria 2025, offering a springboard for the selected startups to compete on the global stage at GITEX Global in Dubai, October 2026.
“Nigeria is rising fast on global innovation indices,” Abdullahi concluded, “and GITEX Nigeria is our bold statement to the world.”
