Standard Chartered Women in Tech Accelerator Opens Nigeria

In Short

Standard Chartered Women in Tech Accelerator is accepting applications in Nigeria for its 2026 cohort. The programme targets women-led, tech-enabled startups.

What Happened

Standard Chartered Foundation, working with Village Capital and the Enterprise Development Centre at Pan-Atlantic University, says applications are open for the 2026 Women in Tech Accelerator in Nigeria.

The accelerator is in its seventh cohort. It is part of a three-year programme designed to help early-stage founders scale in a more sustainable way.

Organisers say the programme will offer grant funding, structured business training, and tailored mentorship. Grant funding means non-dilutive capital, so founders do not give up equity in exchange for cash.

The announcement also points to results from the 2025 cohort across multiple markets. Collectively, those startups added nearly 16,000 customers, generated more than 430 jobs, and increased revenues by $2.7 million.

More than $600,000 in grant funding is expected to be distributed across 12 markets, including Nigeria. The programme is positioned as support for women building solutions that respond to local community and market needs.

Why It Matters

Nigeria has many accelerators, but early-stage founders often get pushed toward rapid growth targets that can break unit economics, meaning the business loses money on each sale after costs.

A programme that pairs grants with business training can help founders test pricing, improve cash flow, and build repeatable sales before chasing expansion.

For investors and ecosystem operators, the job creation and revenue figures are a signal to watch pipeline quality. More women-led startups reaching predictable revenue can expand the pool of fundable companies.