As part of the build-up to #StartupSouthX, the 10th edition of the South-South and South-East’s premier innovation conference, #StartupSouth will host the Digital Transformation Summit – Enugu 2025 on Friday, July 25, 2025.

This pre-event doubles as a critical ecosystem touchpoint, fueling what organizers describe as an “Enugu innovation relay”, building on the State’s recent growth in tech, policy innovation, and entrepreneurial activity.

The summit is powered by the Enugu State Government through key bodies: the Ministry of Innovation, Science & Technology, Enugu SME Center, and the Office of the SA on Digital Economy.

Representatives from ECCIMA and various tech-forward institutions will also participate.

Set against the backdrop of Enugu’s rising profile as a digital hub, the event aims to:

• Bridge government and ecosystem actors
• Facilitate founder-corporate collaborations
• Spotlight investable innovation
• Co-create practical strategies for digital acceleration

Key Segments:
Founder pitches & startup showcases
High-level policy & industry panel conversations
Keynote speeches from digital enablers
A curated solutions marketplace

“We’re curating a conversation that connects dots,” said Uche Aniche, convener of #StartupSouth. “This isn’t just pre-conference hype, it’s part of a real strategy to activate economic potential at the edge of innovation.”

According to Adaeze Ngozi Chianumba, Co-Founder, DigitalMoms & Lead, #StartupSouth Enugu Community:

“This is more than a conversation, it’s a convergence of people who believe in Enugu’s digital future. We’re deepening momentum already building in the ecosystem by bringing corporate players into dialogue with founders and changemakers.”

Israel Unya, founder of YuSocial.com and Co-Lead, #StartupSouth Enugu Community:

“This summit is a signal that Enugu’s innovation ecosystem is no longer on the sidelines, we’re building a thriving community where startups, government, and corporate leaders collaborate meaningfully. It’s about turning momentum into real opportunity and ensuring local founders have access to the networks, tools, and capital they need to scale.”

Registration: Free via bit.ly/DTSEnugu2025.

The project, Techeconomy gathered, will culminate into a South-South and South-East Startup Landscape & State of Digital Jobs Report.

The Report seeks to propel the regional digital and innovation space, attract investors, talents and support by showcasing its current strength, gaps and opportunities.

It will provide a comprehensive mapping, documentation and spotlight of key activities, innovators and stakeholders who are leveraging technology to create opportunities and solve diverse economic/development challenges for and from the region.

Such key actors include startups, financiers, events, support organizations (including Hubs, Universities, Enterprise Support Organizations -ESOs, Government Institutions etc) across eleven States in the regions

The Digital Ecosystem in the South-South/South-East of Nigeria has grown over the last Ten years as home to great Institutions and vibrant Technology communities (such as Google Developer Group, Meta Circle and others). It’s also home to several innovative early stage Startups (and Founders) including  Xend Finance  (Google backed DeFi platform), Greenage Technology (Nigeria’s foremost Solar OEM) and HouseAfrica (Sytemap) to mention a few.

Despite the foregoing, very little is known about the Ecosystem from outside leading to fewer coverage and opportunities for its stakeholders.

#StartupSouth believes the Nigeria Innovation ecosystem is capable of more than it has achieved in recent years and is positioning South-South-East Nigeria to become the epicenter of future growth. This project represents a step in that direction.

The report will also help States (and Cities) in the region identify and deploy their unique strengths for development. The states covered in the report include Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers states.

The project which enjoys technical support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Nigeria’s Innovation Center through the Accelerator Lab will publish its findings during a special #ScaleSouth Summit to be held in the second quarter of 2024.

“Through this collaborative effort, we aim to shine a spotlight on the immense potential of the South-South-East Startup ecosystem by identifying key stakeholders, mapping ecosystem activities, and highlighting opportunities and gaps. We seek to catalyze strategic interventions for sustainable development and job creation,” said Uche Aniche, convener of #StartupSouth

“At UNDP, we strongly believe that it is possible to catalyse inclusive growth in Nigeria and spark a development revolution through Regional Innovation. By providing technical support to this important work, we hope that the ecosystem gets re-energised to show-case its transformative impact and create opportunities for sustained collaboration and partnership with others,” said William Tsuma, chief innovation officer and head of UNDP Office in Lagos.

“Highlighting the depth of the digital economy and startup ecosystem holds immense potential for equitable, accelerated and sustainable job creation in the South-South and South-East region. This timely intervention by #StartupSouth is a huge step in the right direction as it will spotlight opportunities, inspire collaborations, and catalyze strategic investments in the ecosystem. SSEAN is happy to support this project” Engr. Olushola Aina, Board Member at South-South-East Angel Network (SSEAN).

Zoho for Startups and #StartupSouth, bringing forth several advantages for the Nigerian startup ecosystem, aim to provide financial support, access to Zoho apps, and educational programs to these startups

Uche Aniche, representing #StartupSouth, highlighted the importance of supporting startups, emphasizing their role in driving economic value. He noted, “For startups, it is true that 90% fail. But what is also true is that the 10% that succeed create huge value in the economy.”

The partnership offers tangible benefits, including access to Zoho Wallet credits worth N470,000, access to a suite of 55+ Zoho apps and services, and participation in educational programs. This initiative aligns with global trends where governments are recognising the key role of startups in economic development and actively supporting their growth.

#STARTUPSOUTH, led by Uche Aniche, has been a driving force in ecosystem development and advocacy, particularly focusing on high-impact ventures in Nigeria’s South-South and Southeast regions. Aniche emphasized the need to decentralise startup activities beyond Lagos, Nigeria’s economic hub, stating, “We want to make sure that everyone doesn’t have to flock to Lagos for economic opportunities.”

He further explained that #StartupSouth is not just an organisation but a “community of communities,” with over 15,000 members working towards creating economic opportunities across the country. This community has already produced successful companies, and the program with Zoho is set to further empower startups.

The collaboration between #StartupSouth and Zoho for Startups is not merely a partnership; it’s a meeting of shared values and objectives. Aniche pointed out the alignment between the two entities, highlighting Zoho’s mission to localism and establishing offices in rural locations rather than concentrating solely in major cities. This is in line with #StartupSouth’s goal to extend economic opportunities beyond urban centers.

Aniche commended Zoho’s intentionality in building simple, easy-to-use products and its focus on understanding and serving specific communities. He noted, “What was even more valuable to me was the fact that they are very intentional about what they can do and who they are building for.”

He further acknowledged the positive impact of the Zoho for Startups program on the community, with members utilising Zoho Wallet credits to access tools and resources. The collaboration aims to raise awareness about digitalisation and also to drive core product innovation among startups.

Ali Shabdar, Regional Director, MEA, Zoho, expressed Zoho’s commitment to serving communities and reports on the success of similar programs in Dubai. He mentioned, “We managed to serve more than 4000 Dubai-based companies, amounting to $5 billion in investment.”

The Zoho for Startups partnership with #StartupSouth signifies a heightened step towards bolstering the Nigerian startup ecosystem. As the collaboration goes deeper, it promises to empower startups, drive innovation, and contribute significantly to the economic growth of Nigeria. This strategic alliance exemplifies the potential impact when organisations with aligned values join forces to uplift and support emerging businesses.

Mr. Ebere Ogwumoyi, the General Manager at RedCloud Technologies, made the remark while participating at Techeconomy’s session at the just concluded #StartupSouth8 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.

Speaking on the conference sub-theme, ‘Media Innovation for Regional and Economic Growth’, Mr. Ogwumoyi, said advised the startups to leverage the power in media marketing to strategically scale their products and services.

He highlighted how crucial it is for businesses to consider the preferences of their target audience, to place ads that would not just interest but also attract them to a particular product.

Mr. Ogwumoyi urged the business community, especially Startups and SMEs to leverage the power in media marketing to strategically scale their products and services.

Ebere Ogwumoyi as the General Manager at RedCloud Technologies, has spearheaded the FinTech and Open Commerce company’s massive growth by and emerging the world’s first AI led Open Commerce platform.

He has over 17 years of multi-functional and multi-cultural leadership and industry experience spanning Pharmaceuticals, Telecommunications, Banking, and most recently, the B2B e-commerce sector.

Under his leadership as the managing director, RedCloud in just 12 months passed a trading volume of $500m in Nigeria.

His transformational and participative leadership approach has helped in the coordination of several business functions in Marketing, Sales, Operations, HR, Finance, Consumer, and Data Insights.

His commitment and dedication have helped him build businesses and achieve commendable milestones.

He desirously wants to raise a team of people that would not just be performers at work but also contribute to the overall development of the economy and the nation at large.