African telecom company MTN unveils Cloud Accelerator Program, awarding ₦100 million in financial grants to innovative startups across the continent.
The MTN Nigeria Cloud Accelerator Program, a 12-week hybrid initiative aimed at boosting the growth of early and growth-stage startups in Africa, has been launched [1][2][3]. The program is designed to help startups in Africa scale faster by leveraging MTN’s products, platforms, and partnerships.
To be eligible for the program, startups must be at the growth stage with an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) or live product. Founders must demonstrate strong customer insight and traction, and their businesses should focus on solving African problems in sectors such as Fintech & Payments, HealthTech, EdTech, AgriTech, AI & Data Infrastructure, Cybersecurity & Digital ID, Retail & E-commerce, or other relevant areas [1][2][3]. Preference is given to startups serving rural or underserved communities.
The program offers a range of benefits to its participants. Successful applicants will receive a share of ₦100 million in grants, with individual startups receiving approximately ₦5 million each [1][2][4]. Additionally, startups will have API integration opportunities, including MTN Cloud, MoMo, and Chenosis APIs. They will also receive 1-on-1 mentorship from industry experts, sales and Go-To-Market (GTM) support by MTN teams, access to cloud credits and technical advisory, investor pitch coaching, warm introductions to venture capitalists, and showcase opportunities such as Demo Day with investors and media [1][2][3][4]. Post-program support, including pilots, partnerships, and M&A readiness, is also provided [1][2][3][4].
Interested startups can submit their applications online, with further information available on the official MTN Cloud Accelerator pages [5]. The application deadline for the program is August 15, 2025 [1][2][5]. This program is especially suitable for startups looking to scale within Africa by tapping into MTN’s ecosystem and resources.
[1] https://www.techcabal.com/2023/04/27/mtn-launches-cloud-accelerator-program-to-boost-african-startups/ [2] https://www.techpoint.africa/2023/04/27/mtn-cloud-accelerator-program-boost-african-startups/ [3] https://www.venturesafrica.com/2023/04/mtn-launches-cloud-accelerator-program-for-african-startups/ [4] https://www.techgenyz.com/mtn-launches-cloud-accelerator-program-for-african-startups/ [5] https://www.mtn.com/innovation/cloud-accelerator/
- The MTN Nigeria Cloud Accelerator Program, designed for African startups, promises to help scale businesses by leveraging MTN's technology infrastructure and industry partnerships.
- To participate, startups need to be growth-stage enterprises, demonstrate strong customer focus, and tackle challenges in sectors such as Fintech, HealthTech, EdTech, AgriTech, AI, Cybersecurity, Retail, or other relevant fields, particularly those serving rural or underserved communities.
- Participating startups can expect benefits including ₦5 million in grants, API integration opportunities with MTN Cloud, MoMo, and Chenosis APIs, 1-on-1 mentorship from industry experts, business support, investor pitch coaching, partnership opportunities, and post-program M&A readiness.
