Invitation Extended for African Beginning Ventures to Join MTN Cloud Accelerator Program
MTN Cloud Accelerator Programme Offers African Startups Funding, Mentorship, and Market Access
The MTN Cloud Accelerator Programme, designed to support African startups, has announced its eligibility criteria and benefits for growth-stage ventures.
To be eligible, startups must be at the growth stage, with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) or live product, and have a founder or team with clear traction and deep customer insight. The startups should be solving real African problems, particularly in sectors such as Fintech & Payments, HealthTech, EdTech, AgriTech, AI & Data Infrastructure, Cybersecurity & Digital ID, Retail & E-commerce, or serving underserved or rural communities.
The programme does not require startups to be MTN customers to apply.
The benefits offered by the MTN Cloud Accelerator Programme are substantial. Selected startups will receive a total of ₦100 million (approximately US$65,000) in grant funding, distributed among them (around ₦5 million per startup). Startups will also gain access to MTN Cloud, MoMo (mobile money), and Chenosis APIs for technical integration, free cloud credits, and technical advisory support.
Participants will receive one-on-one mentorship with industry leaders and experts, sales and go-to-market support from MTN teams, investor pitch coaching, and warm introductions to venture capitalists (VCs). The programme culminates in an MTN Demo Day, providing exposure to investors, media, and ecosystem partners.
Post-programme support includes partnership opportunities, pilots, and M&A readiness preparation. The 12-week programme, which runs with hybrid participation (in-person in Nigeria and virtual sessions), is fully funded and free to participate in.
The MTN Cloud Accelerator Programme aims to help African startups grow and scale their businesses by leveraging MTN’s infrastructure, funding, mentorship, and market access opportunities. The initiative provides technical integration and access to MTN's powerful infrastructure, strategic go-to-market support, and ongoing post-programme support.
Although the programme's success is not guaranteed for all participating startups, it offers a unique opportunity for growth-stage ventures to scale rapidly and make a significant impact in various sectors across Africa. The application deadline is August 15. For more information, interested startups should visit the official website.
Fintech and payments startups, serving underserved communities or solving African problems, can now apply for the MTN Cloud Accelerator Programme, securing funding, mentorship, and market access. Selected ventures will receive a grant of ₦100 million, technical integration to MTN Cloud and MoMo APIs, one-on-one mentorship, sales support, investor pitch coaching, and post-programme partnership opportunities.
