Verto has announced the winners of its first Verto Global Business Award, recognising early-stage African startups that are pushing innovation and supporting international trade. The awards ceremony took place in Lagos on Wednesday and gathered industry leaders, partners and members of Nigeria’s growing startup community.
Dingpay, a fintech company, won first place in the competition. AquaTrack, an agrotech startup, came second, while Grower, an online marketplace for tech talents, secured third place. The winners received cash prizes of USD 10,000, USD 3,000, and USD 2,000 to support their plans for global expansion and cross-border operations.
Speaking after the announcement, Dingpay co-founder Itohowo Udofia shared his excitement about the recognition. He said, “We are honoured to be recognised as the winner of the Verto Global Business 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.”
Verto co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Ola Oyetayo also praised the startups participating in the inaugural edition of the award. He explained that the event highlighted the strength and ambition of Africa’s early-stage startup ecosystem. According to him, “This inaugural edition of the Verto Global Business Award has revealed just how much innovation, resilience, and global ambition exist within Africa’s early-stage startup ecosystem. The calibre of founders we’ve 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.”
