Verto boosts Nigerian startups with $15,000 funding to tackle growth, global trade barriers

By Juliet Umeh

In a move aimed at solving some of the biggest challenges facing early-stage startups- access to capital, global visibility, and cross-border infrastructure, a B2B global payments platform, Verto, has awarded a total of $15,000 to three Nigerian startups.

The cash prizes of $10,000, $3,000, and $2,000 were presented to Dingpay, Aquatrack, and Growwr respectively at its inaugural award ceremony held in Lagos.

The company said the initiative, launched in February 2025, was designed to help African founders overcome barriers that often stifle early growth, including difficulty accessing global markets, limited financing, low visibility, and the absence of reliable international payment systems. With this award, Verto says it is providing not just funds but the tools startups need to compete globally.

Dingpay, a Nigerian fintech building an “offline-first” digital wallet that unifies bank cards, identity documents, tickets, and payments, received the $10,000 grand prize. Aquatrack, an agritech company offering an AI-powered farm management platform for fish farmers, received $3,000. Growwr, a startup that operates an AI-driven work platform helping businesses hire, manage, and pay pre-verified African tech talent securely, took home $2,000.

The startups were selected after months of rigorous evaluation focused on innovation, scalability, feasibility, and potential impact on Africa’s digital and economic landscape. Their final assessment was conducted by a high-profile panel comprising Dotun Adekunle, COO/CTO of OPay; Ime Enang, CEO of The Conversationalist Limited; Omotayo Idowu, Group Head, Commerce & SME, Providus Bank; Soibi Ovia, Partner at DAO Law; and Austin Okpagu, Country Manager, Verto Nigeria.

Speaking after receiving the grand prize, Dingpay’s co-founder, Itohowo Udofia, said: “We are honoured to be recognised as the winner of the Verto Award. This prize will enable us to scale faster, strengthen our operations, and unlock new market opportunities. It’s an incredible validation of our work, and we’re excited for what comes next,” Udofia said.

Verto CEO and co-founder, Ola Oyetayo, said the award was designed to close these gaps and position African businesses for global relevance.

“This inaugural edition of the Verto Award has revealed just how much innovation, resilience, and global ambition exists within Africa’s early-stage startup ecosystem. The calibre of founders we have seen this year has been exceptional.

“As these businesses grow, expand, and strengthen international ties, we remain committed to providing the financial infrastructure that helps turn their global ambitions into reality,” he said.

The post Verto boosts Nigerian startups with $15,000 funding to tackle growth, global trade barriers appeared first on Vanguard News.