The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has announced Sycamore as the winner of the second edition of the NSIA Prize for Innovation (NPI 2.0). Sycamore, a peer-to-peer lending fintech platform led by Babatunde Akin-Moses, won a combined prize value of $100,000. The platform connects lenders and borrowers, empowering African businesses and promoting economic growth.
Kunda Kids, an edtech media company offering African-inspired digital content, secured the second position with a prize of $70,000. PaveHQ, a career support ecosystem for students, came third, receiving $50,000.
The Managing Director & Chief Executive of NSIA, Aminu Umar-Sadiq highlighted the NPI's role in fostering technology-driven socio-economic progress and enhancing global relevance for Nigerian talent. The NPI programme has witnessed significant growth with registrations increasing from 2,000 in the maiden edition to over 7,000 in NPI 2.0
To reposition home grown talent for global relevance, the second edition of the NPI programme has been expanded to include a five-week all-expense paid training at Draper University, Silicon Valley USA for the top ten innovators. Through the NPI programme, NSIA re-affirms its commitment to support early-stage businesses and sustainably enable the Nigerian tech eco-system sustainably enable the Nigerian tech eco-system
