The Empower Africa Business Platform is Now Live !!!
Fintech startup, Sycamore, has emerged as the grand winner of the second edition of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) Prize for Innovation, securing a $100,000 prize.
The lending platform beat out a stiff competition of over 7,000 startups to clinch the top spot.
Two other finalists, Kunda Kids and PaveHQ, also received recognition, bagging $70,000 and $50,000 respectively.
Sycamore, founded in 2019 by Babatunde Akin-Moses, offers peer-to-peer lending services, providing risk assessment, commercial lending, and asset financing solutions.
Kunda Kids is an ed-tech company focused on African-inspired digital content, while PaveHQ is an international education and career platform.
The winners were selected based on market potential, team composition, traction, and solution competitiveness.
Commenting on the win, Sycamore’s CEO expressed his elation, highlighting the startup’s positive impact on society.
Aminu Umar-Sadiq, NSIA Managing Director, emphasized the prize’s role in fostering innovation and promoting homegrown talent.
Sycamore’s victory comes amid a growing loan app industry in Nigeria, which has seen a surge in licensed companies.
“We are delighted to partner with ISA to support the development of solar energy in Africa,” said Alain Ebobissé, CEO of Africa50. “This partnership will help to accelerate the deployment of solar energy in Africa and improve the lives of millions of Africans,” he added.

Kenyan mobile operator Safaricom has partnered with fintech company Pezesha to offer micro-loans to users of its Pochi La Biashara business payment service.

The Mastercard Africa Growth Fund has announced investments in three Africa-focused investment firms: Chui Ventures, VestedWorld, and SME Impact Fund.

In a pivotal move to address the gender funding gap in Africa’s entrepreneurial landscape, Village Capital and Standard Chartered Bank have joined forces to launch a pilot financing facility.