Four startups from Nigeria have been selected among 15 African firms for the 10th cohort of the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa programme, highlighting the growing role of artificial intelligence in addressing structural gaps in finance and communications across the continent.
The Nigerian companies Bani, MasteryHive AI, Regxta and Termii were chosen from nearly 2,600 applications across Africa, underscoring the competitiveness of the programme and the expanding pool of technology-driven ventures emerging from the region.
The accelerator focuses on early-stage startups applying AI and machine learning to solve challenges in sectors such as fintech, agritech, health tech, mobility and enterprise software. Organisers say the selected cohort reflects a broader trend of African innovators building tools that respond directly to local economic and infrastructure constraints.
According to Google, the 15 startups in the 2026 cohort are developing solutions aimed at improving financial inclusion, strengthening digital infrastructure and expanding access to essential services.
The three-month hybrid programme, which runs from April 13 to June 19, provides mentorship from global experts, technical training, and access to Google Cloud and AI tools. It also prepares startups for potential follow-on funding and international scaling opportunities.
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Folarin Aiyegbusi, Head of Startup Ecosystem for Sub-Saharan Africa at Google, said the cohort reflects growing momentum in Africa’s technology ecosystem.
“These founders represent the broader innovation taking place across the continent,” he said, adding that the programme is designed to equip entrepreneurs with the technical infrastructure and global networks needed to scale impactful solutions.
The inclusion of four Nigerian startups highlights the country’s continued dominance as one of Africa’s leading hubs for fintech and digital innovation.
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Bani is building cross-border payment infrastructure designed to reduce settlement delays and improve transaction efficiency for African businesses operating internationally. Its focus is on simplifying complex payment flows that often slow down trade and commerce across borders.
MasteryHive AI is developing systems that automate financial compliance processes, including transaction reconciliation, fraud detection and anti-money laundering monitoring. The startup is targeting inefficiencies in financial operations that often burden banks and fintech firms.
Regxta is working on alternative credit scoring models that use non-traditional data sources combined with a hybrid digital-agent system. Its goal is to extend credit access to unbanked and underserved microbusinesses, particularly in informal markets where traditional credit histories are limited.
Termii provides AI-powered communication infrastructure aimed at improving the reliability and delivery of financial messages between banks, fintech companies and customers. The company focuses on ensuring that critical transaction alerts and authentication messages are delivered securely and consistently.
Beyond Nigeria, the cohort includes startups from Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, Angola, Senegal and Ivory Coast, reflecting the continent-wide spread of AI-driven entrepreneurship.
Since its launch in 2018, the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa programme has supported more than 100 startups across 17 African countries. Alumni of the programme have collectively raised over $263 million in funding and created more than 2,800 jobs, according to Google.
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Industry analysts say the programme has become an important pipeline for African startups seeking global visibility and investment, particularly in the rapidly growing AI and fintech sectors.
They also note that Africa’s startup ecosystem is increasingly being shaped by demand for practical solutions to everyday challenges such as access to credit, payment inefficiencies, healthcare delivery and digital communication barriers.
The rise of AI-focused startups comes amid a broader shift in global venture capital interest toward emerging markets, where mobile penetration and digital adoption are accelerating faster than traditional infrastructure development.
For Nigeria in particular, the selection of four startups reinforces its position as one of Africa’s leading innovation hubs, supported by a large tech talent pool and a rapidly expanding fintech ecosystem centred in Lagos.
As the accelerator programme continues, participating startups are expected to refine their products, strengthen their technical capabilities and prepare for potential expansion into regional and global markets.
With Africa’s digital economy projected to grow significantly over the next decade, initiatives like Google’s accelerator are increasingly seen as key catalysts in shaping the continent’s technology landscape and supporting the next generation of scalable innovation.
