For years, event organizers in Nigeria have relied on separate tools to run basic tasks, using Google Forms for entries, Eventbrite for ticketing, third-party voting apps, and spreadsheets for tracking.

This fragmented system has often led to confusion, inefficiency, and missed opportunities.

Demfati changes that by offering an all-in-one dashboard where organizers can:

• Sell tickets and collect payments
• Launch paid or free voting campaigns
• Create registration and application forms
• Get a branded event subdomain (e.g., yourevent.demf.site)
• Automate attendee interaction through WhatsApp with the Deeva chatbot
• Monitor real-time analytics and user activity

“We built Demfati because organizers were spending more time managing tech than focusing on their actual events,” said Oril Ekunke, CEO and founder of Demfati. “This platform gives them a professional, simple, and scalable system designed with Africa in mind.”

Pay-As-You-Grow Model

Demfati’s pricing model is designed to support both small and large events. The platform only charges a small percentage on paid tickets, paid votes, or paid forms.

If the event is entirely free, there are no charges at all, making it accessible to student bodies, nonprofits, churches, and emerging creatives.

Adoption and Early Use

Since its beta launch, Demfati has powered over 200 events across Nigeria, including campus pageants, award nights, and local competitions. Organizers report smoother logistics, better audience engagement, and faster setup times compared to traditional platforms.

Demfati also stands out for its WhatsApp-first design, recognizing the app’s dominance across Africa. Through Deeva, event guests can recommend events, vote, or receive tickets all within WhatsApp.

Built for Africa, Ready for the World

While global tools like Eventbrite (US), Peatix (Japan), and Tix.africa (Nigeria) offer specific features, Demfati’s integrated, Africa-first approach is what sets it apart. The company plans to scale into Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa in the coming months.

Quick look:

• 51% of surveyed startups report difficulties in securing funding, with angel investors emerging as a crucial support.
• 30% of founders view regulatory challenges as significant barriers, calling for greater policy engagement.
• One-third of startups form strategic partnerships, highlighting collaboration as a key driver of resilience.

TLP Advisory, the venture law firm headquartered in Lagos, with offices in London and New York  marks ten years of operation with the launch of a new report, “A Decade of the Nigerian Venture Ecosystem: Numbers, Insights & Stories.”

The report provides a comprehensive analysis of Nigeria’s startup landscape, revealing the growth, challenges, and strategic shifts that have defined the ecosystem over the past decade.

Launched in 2014, TLP Advisory has advised over 250 clients in the Nigerian technology and venture ecosystem on transactions ranging from institutional investments, M&A, intellectual property, international expansion strategies and more.

TLP was also one of the only two law firms that drafted the landmark 2023 Nigerian Startup Act, which created the legal framework for key regulatory bodies to provide an enabling environment and support to startups in Nigeria.

Having worked on and structured many of the continent’s biggest deals for the fastest-growing technology companies, TLP has been well positioned to collect technical intelligence for the ecosystem over the past decade, as well as source candid insights from technology leaders.

A Decade of the Nigerian Venture Ecosystem: Numbers, Insights & Stories also chronicles the growth and evolution of the Nigerian venture ecosystem from its nascent stages in 2014 whilst also paying homage to early investors like Olumide Soyombo’s Leadpath and enablers like the CcHUB and Lagos Angel Network.

Key findings from A Decade of the Nigerian Venture Ecosystem: Numbers, Insights & Stories include

• Funding Struggles Amid Currency Devaluation: While 2021 saw record venture capital investments of USD 3 billion, 51% of startups surveyed cited difficulties in securing funding, primarily due to currency volatility and access to investors. Angel investors have emerged as a crucial funding source during this challenging period.
• Talent & Operational Efficiency: Talent acquisition and retention are among the top challenges for startups, emphasising the need for efficient operations and customer-centric strategies.
• Regulatory Hurdles: 30% of founders cite complex regulatory landscapes as a major hurdle, urging closer collaboration with policymakers, especially under the Nigeria Startup Act.

The report makes recommendations for fostering a more robust startup ecosystem in Nigeria and is now calling for the following:

1. Deepening Strategic Partnerships: Expanding collaborative efforts between startups and corporates can unlock new markets and aid regulatory navigation.
2. Investing in Talent Development: Addressing skill gaps is crucial for retaining high performers in a competitive landscape.
3. Engaging in Policy Development: Proactive participation in policy discussions is essential for creating a supportive business environment.

Odunoluwa Longe, co-founder of TLP Advisory, comments,

“Despite the current tough macroeconomic climes, engaging with participants in this project ignited in me renewed hope and optimism for our ecosystem. We embarked on this project as our way of celebrating the ecosystem that made us, and this report reflects both the resilience and the evolution of the Nigerian tech ecosystem. It’s not just about technology; it’s about building a future where founders, investors, and the public sector work together to make Nigeria a leader in innovation and digital solutions. Over the past decade, we’ve witnessed, and have been part of, incredible success stories born from collaboration and adaptability, and we believe the best is yet to come.”

Adenike Adeyemi, executive director of FATE Foundation, added

“The most unexpected challenge for entrepreneurs in Nigeria has been the unstable and inconsistent regulatory and business environment. Founders here often have to navigate unique complexities, and a supportive policy framework is essential for unlocking their full potential.”

Speaking to the need for proactive policy engagement, Kola Aina of Ventures Platform notes,

“The ecosystem must become more deliberate and take the job of engaging in government policy design more seriously, ensuring we shape the policies that govern our industry.”

In addition to quantitative metrics, the report features several compelling qualitative stories from key ecosystem players like Odunayo Eweniyi (Piggyvest), Mayowa Okegbenle (PressOne Africa), Nichole Yembra (The Chrysalis Co),  Kola Aina (Ventures Platform), Olumide Soyombo (Voltron Capital), Femi Longe (CcHUB) and Jessica Hope (Wimbart) – many of whom echoed the report’s findings, in terms of identifying challenges as well as reflecting on lessons learned.

Supported by key partners, including Big Cabal Media, Blue Advisory, PressOne Africa, Ventures Platform and Wimbart, the report reflects TLP’s commitment to advancing sustainable growth for African startups.

Through its legal-tech product, DIYLaw, TLP has also supported over 200,000 businesses, contributing to Nigeria’s economic development.

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Launched by the impact investment company, Katapult and its partners, the accelerator program is designed to provide the most talented food and agri-tech startups with the investment, skills and network they require to both scale and realize their maximum impact.

The Katapult Mauritius Accelerator Program at Ferney Agri-hub is a ground-breaking program that combines 90 days of intense digital and physical workshops, network & learning sessions with €150,000-300,000 investments in each selected startup.

The goal of the Katapult Mauritius Accelerator Program is simple — to help impact-driven founders scale their companies.

Throughout the program, the startups will be guided not only on how to best take advantage of Katapult’s large community of founders, investors and partners; but to also develop a more disciplined, productive and professional approach to every aspect of their company.

Katapult’s Mauritius Accelerator Program will provide the companies with the tools, network and the financial support for success.

A Nigeria-based startup, Rural Farmers Hub, has been selected from over 1000 international applicants and will join 6 other startups on the island of Mauritius to participate in the 3 month program.

Described as “the most intense and fulfilling MBA you could ever undertake”, during the course of the program, the cohort of companies will engage in rigorous workshops, online meetups, mentor sessions, pitch training and investor presentations, with the aim of making the startups ready for scaling.

“Agricultural is a science for a reason, we need to normalize the science in food production” said Gabriel Eze, the co-founder of Rural Farmers Hub. “Our proprietary algorithms analyses the earth’s data from the abundance of space resources, turning them into actionable todos for any farmer. We are helping farmers optimize farming decisions against risks while maximizing output.”

Founded in 2017 by the serial entrepreneur and tech investor, Tharald Nustad, Katapult has invested in 145 portfolio companies and has run nine accelerator programs to date.

Underpinned by the mission of building a thriving world for all, the success of Katapult’s investment model has been proven by its four unicorn investments.

Rural Farmers Hub:

Through its proprietary app called Capture, Rural Farmers Hub collects and analyses primary and secondary data from the abundance of space, then use that insight in precision farming advisory, e-Extension and consulting services for farmers and corporate; supporting them to make better agribusiness decisions.

It was founded Gabriel Eze and Segun Adegun; both founders come from farming/development backgrounds and were inspired to start the company after witnessing persistently low yields and a lack of agricultural support services in their home villages.

Rural Farmers Hub help farmers increase crop productivity by providing them with real-time crop and soil insights.

Farmers in Africa are half as productive on a per/ha basis than the rest of the world.

This can be attributed to over cultivation of land without rotation or regeneration that may have led to degradation of soil health; however, another common reason is because they lack access to data-driven insights on weather patterns, fertiliser recommendations and many more.

This directly affects their yields, and incomes, which results in poor livelihoods for them and their families.

Its solution, Capture, has allowed over 25,000 farmers to increase their crop yields by up to 35% and productivity rising by up to 10 metric-tonne per hectare, helping to improve their incomes by up to 80%!

The field agent training programs have empowered over 200 youths with digital skills and regular income for basic living.

Rural Farmers Hub is currently operating in 10 Nigeria States, and on track to scale to 1 million out of the 400 million rural farmers in Africa by 2025.

To maximise the impact, the agric-startup is looking for partners to better the lives of millions, and improve global food systems.