Nigeria’s Itana, a digital free zone driving Africa’s digital economy, has partnered with Accelerate Africa in a strategic partnership to give up-and-coming companies the resources, connections, and on-the-ground assistance they need to grow and address major issues throughout the continent.
With the Itana digital zone, which offers a one-stop shop for establishing operations in Nigeria and competitive incentives in the areas of banking, regulation, immigration, taxation, and technology, global and pan-African technology and service-oriented businesses can operate seamlessly throughout Africa.
It also includes the soon-to-be Itana District campus in Lagos, a community for Digital Residency, and a carefully curated marketplace for reliable vendors. In contrast, Accelerate Africa is a pre-seed and seed stage accelerator program that supports up to 10 startups with support in go-to-market strategies, product development, storytelling, team building, and fundraising. It runs multiple cohorts annually.
Through the two organizations’ partnership, Itana will provide direct assistance to participating companies in registering their businesses within the Itana Zone, thereby augmenting the impact of Accelerate Africa. With this registration, these startups will have a competitive advantage in their market by utilizing the special advantages of Itana’s digital infrastructure, regulatory support, and community resources.
The program will receive critical financial support from Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), a significant funding partner for Itana, guaranteeing that these entrepreneurs have the tools they need to meet their expansion objectives. The collaboration’s potential to bring about revolutionary change throughout Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is further strengthened by AFC’s involvement.
“Our partnership with Accelerate Africa marks a significant milestone in Itana’s mission to empower African entrepreneurs,” said Luqman Edu, Itana’s CEO. “By providing these startups with direct access to Itana’s platform and resources, we’re helping them gain a competitive advantage and scale their businesses more effectively.”
