Moonshot 2025: Can Africa's Startups Challenge Global Tech Giants?{Business Africa}

Africa’s digital and creative economies took the spotlight at Moonshot 2025, the continent’s leading tech and innovation summit, which closed this week in Lagos, Nigeria. The event brought together founders, investors, policymakers, and industry leaders to explore how Africa can build sustainable growth through technology, trade, and creativity.

Nigeria Unveils Bold Digital Trade Reforms

Africa’s digital trade currently accounts for just five percent of the continent’s commerce — but Nigeria’s government says that is about to change. At the Moonshot 2025 event, Nigeria’s Trade Minister announced a series of sweeping reforms aimed at helping African businesses scale across borders and increase intra-African trade.

Key among these initiatives is the introduction of a National Single Window and a Trade Facilitation Portal — tools designed to simplify import and export procedures, enhance transparency, and reduce costs for businesses.

In a move to tackle logistical barriers, Nigeria also unveiled a flat-rate air freight deal with Uganda Airlines, establishing a new Air Cargo Corridor that cuts export costs to Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa by up to 75 percent.

“The reforms are about helping African businesses thrive within Africa,” said the Trade Minister, emphasizing Nigeria’s role as a Digital Trade Co-Champion for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Building Momentum for Africa’s Tech Ecosystem

For Tomiwa Aladekomo, CEO of Big Cabal Media, Moonshot 2025 marks a turning point in the evolution of Africa’s tech scene. “The energy is different,” he said. “We’re seeing founders think beyond local markets, investors taking Africa seriously, and policymakers aligning with the realities of digital business.”

Aladekomo believes the real challenge lies beyond the event — ensuring that discussions translate into tangible outcomes for startups. “Moonshot’s success will be measured by what happens after the lights go off — partnerships formed, policies implemented, and capital deployed where it matters,” he noted.

Looking ahead, he sees Africa’s next frontier in AI-driven innovation, fintech expansion, and youth-led entrepreneurship, supported by stronger policy alignment and regional collaboration.

Creating for Africa, Not Copying Silicon Valley

Another key highlight of Moonshot 2025 came from YouTube’s Director of Emerging Markets, Ebi Atawodi, who urged African founders to design solutions grounded in local realities rather than copying global tech models.

“Building small, intentional solutions that solve African problems is how we’ll drive real impact,” Atawodi said. Her remarks came as the European Union announced increased support for local innovation hubs and digital capacity-building across the continent.

Protecting Africa’s $17 Billion Creative Economy

Africa’s booming creative sector — from Afrobeats to Nollywood — continues to influence global culture. Yet, experts warn that weak Intellectual Property (IP) protection is costing African creators billions of dollars each year.

During the conference, stakeholders called for a unified African IP framework under the AfCFTA Protocol on Intellectual Property Rights, which could help unlock the continent’s $17 billion creative industry by safeguarding artists, filmmakers, and innovators.

“Without proper IP protection, Africa’s creators remain the least rewarded for their global impact,” said one industry expert. “The AfCFTA protocol could finally change that.”

A New Era for African Innovation

From digital trade to creative rights, Moonshot 2025 showcased Africa’s growing determination to take ownership of its digital and economic future. The event’s central message was clear: Africa is moving from ambition to execution — building systems, partnerships, and solutions designed by Africans, for Africa.