Onome Amuge

Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, will in October play host to one of the largest gatherings of investors, venture capitalists and innovators on the continent, as Moonshot by TechCabal 2025 convenes more than 4,000 participants to explore the next phase of deal flow in Africa’s innovation economy.

After two years of sluggish activity, African startup funding is showing signs of life. Industry data shows that $1.42 billion was raised across 243 deals in the first half of 2025, a 78 percent rebound compared to the same period last year. Analysts say the increase reflects renewed global appetite for African ventures, as well as the resilience of local entrepreneurs who have continued to build solutions despite currency volatility, regulatory uncertainty and tight liquidity.

For Nigeria, which accounts for a large share of the continent’s tech startups, the opportunity is set to attract more capital to Lagos while convincing investors that reforms and market depth can support long-term growth.

“This is the moment to connect ambitious founders with the right capital, explore how exit opportunities can sustain growth, and build partnerships that truly scale. At this year’s Moonshot, we’re creating the space for those conversations to happen, turning momentum into tangible opportunities for founders, investors, and the ecosystem as a whole,” said Tomiwa Aladekomo, chief executive of Big Cabal Media, organisers of Moonshot.

Rebuilding investor confidence

The last global funding cycle exposed vulnerabilities in African venture markets. A surge of fintech funding between 2019 and 2022 was followed by a painful slowdown as global investors pulled back. With exits few and far between, confidence wavered.

This year’s rebound, therefore, is being greeted with cautious optimism. Industry players say that deepening deal pipelines, creating viable exit opportunities, and addressing governance concerns are key to sustaining the recovery.

Moonshot 2025 is expected to devote significant attention to these themes. Panels will explore how cross-border mergers and acquisitions could offer alternative exit routes, how local capital markets can be mobilised for tech listings, and what reforms are needed to strengthen governance and investor protections.

Europe’s growing interest

This year’s edition will also be marked by the presence of a large European delegation. More than 100 investors and ecosystem leaders are expected in Lagos under the Digital for Development (D4D) Hub, backed by the European Union.

For Brussels, the engagement is part of the Global Gateway strategy, aimed at building digital and infrastructure partnerships with Africa. “Through the D4D Hub, the Europe team is working to turn these connections into concrete collaborations, showcasing scalable digital solutions and unlocking new investment opportunities,” said Hussein Jaffar, deputy coordinator of the D4D Hub Africa branch.

Moonshot will also highlight how emerging sectors are shaping Africa’s innovation story beyond fintech. Sessions will explore artificial intelligence, creative industries, and next-generation payment systems.

“APIs have become the backbone of digital commerce, enabling real-time settlement and seamless cross-border transactions. At Moonshot 2025, we are focusing on how these technologies can unlock growth and efficiency for businesses across Africa and beyond,” said Wole Ayodele, chief executive of Fincra, one of the platinum sponsors. 

Jumoke Oduwole, Nigeria’s trade minister, is also scheduled to speak on how progressive trade policies can empower startups and expand digital services exports, reinforcing Lagos’s positioning as a hub for digital commerce.

Currency instability, capital controls, and infrastructure bottlenecks remain sources of concern for foreign investors. For Nigerian policymakers, the challenge will be to convince investors that reforms are not only cosmetic but structural.

“Policy consistency is the number one issue. Nigeria has to prove that its regulatory environment can support scale and attract global capital over the long term,” said Lexi Novitske, general partner at Norrsken22, who will feature at the conference. 

With more than 120 speakers, nine content tracks and over 4,000 expected attendees, Moonshot 2025 builds on last year’s 3,500-strong gathering. Supported by sponsors such as Flutterwave, Luno, Interswitch, Opay and Busha, the two-day summit is designed as much for deal-making as it is for thought leadership.