Nigeria taps Nordic innovation to grow startup ecosystem

Nigeria is set to ride on Nordic Innovation ecosystem to drive partnerships that unlock funding, market access, and knowledge exchange to foster long-term entrepreneurial growth for startups.

Through Lagos Slush’D 2025, an innovation-driven, founder-focused startup conference adopted from the Nordics, the vision targets to showcase Nigeria’s fast-growing startup ecosystem and spotlight the creativity, resilience, and ambition of Nigerian founders.

It is also aimed to connect local startups with global innovation networks, particularly the Nordics (Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland), known for world-leading innovation, sustainability, and impact entrepreneurship.

“We place a special emphasis on the Nigeria-Nordics connection, drawing from the Nordics’ strengths in clean technologies, impact investing, sustainability, and startup innovation, while tapping into Nigeria’s fast-growing, opportunity-rich market,” said Kolawole Okuboyejo, director /licensee, Lagos Sluch’D.

He said the conference beginning Thursday in Lagos will facilitate meaningful partnerships between startups, investors, corporates, accelerators, and policymakers to drive funding, market access, and knowledge exchange.

“We are hoping to promote inclusive and scalable innovation that tackles Africa’s biggest challenges, from food security and digital inclusion to climate adaptation and affordable healthcare,” Okuboyejo said.

“It will also focus on strengthening the Nigeria-Nordics connection, building long-term bridges between ecosystems that believe in entrepreneurship as a driver of societal and economic progress.

“Lagos Slush’D is where ambition meets opportunity, a space for startups to pitch bold ideas, meet future partners, and accelerate their journey from local to global impact.”