Google has selected four Nigerian startups, Bani, MasteryHive AI, Regxta and Termii, for the 10th cohort of its Google for Startups Accelerator Africa programme.
The tech giant announced the selection on Wednesday, noting that the Nigerian firms emerged from a highly competitive pool of nearly 2,600 applications to make the final list of 15 startups chosen across the continent.
According to Google, the less than one per cent acceptance rate underscores the growing sophistication, technical capacity and resilience of Nigeria’s startup ecosystem.
The selected companies are leveraging artificial intelligence to address critical challenges in finance and business operations. Bani is building cross-border payments infrastructure aimed at eliminating settlement delays for African businesses. MasteryHive AI focuses on automating transaction reconciliation, fraud detection and anti-money laundering processes.
Regxta is deploying alternative data-driven credit scoring alongside a hybrid agent model to extend financial services to underserved micro businesses. Termii, on its part, provides AI-powered communications infrastructure designed to ensure reliable financial messaging for banks and fintech firms.
Google noted that startups across Africa are increasingly using advanced technologies to tackle structural gaps in financial inclusion, healthcare delivery and supply chains.
The company also highlighted the resilience of Africa’s venture capital landscape, which attracted $3.9 billion in funding in 2025. However, it stressed that scaling deep-tech startups will require stronger infrastructure, improved cloud access and sustained technical mentorship.
Gbolade Emmanuel, Chief Executive Officer of Termii, said participation in the accelerator would support the company’s expansion and AI ambitions.
“At Termii, we’re building AI-powered infrastructure that ensures financial transactions don’t fail—from login PINs to payment OTPs and fraud alerts,” he said, adding that early access to technical support and insights is already shaping the company’s next growth phase.
Folarin Aiyegbusi, Head of Startup Ecosystem, Africa at Google, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting high-impact founders across the continent.
“African startups are driving essential economic growth and social development. Our role is to provide the infrastructure, mentorship and global network they need to scale and amplify their impact,” he said.
The hybrid accelerator programme will run from April 13 to June 19, 2026, offering participants mentorship, technical guidance and workshops focused on artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Since its launch in 2018, the programme has supported 106 startups across 17 African countries, helping them raise more than $263 million and create over 2,800 jobs.
In the previous cohort, six Nigerian startups were among 15 AI-driven ventures selected from across Africa, reinforcing the country’s strong representation in the programme.
