Lagos has been ranked the fastest-growing tech ecosystem globally in 2025, according to the Global Tech Ecosystem Index 2025 published by Netherlands-based research firm Dealroom.co.
The report places Lagos at the top of its “Rising Stars” category, highlighting the city’s rapid growth in startup activity, enterprise value, and unicorn creation—despite operating within a relatively smaller economy.
Unicorn Hub of Africa
Lagos is currently home to five unicorns—Interswitch, Flutterwave, Jumia, OPay, and Moniepoint—making it a major tech hub not just in Africa, but globally. Dealroom.co noted that the ecosystem’s value has grown 11.6 times since 2017.
“Lagos (#1) leads the list, having created 5 unicorns and significantly expanded its tech ecosystem, showing impressive growth in enterprise value despite economic constraints,” the report stated.
Global Contenders in the Rising Stars Category
Trailing Lagos in the rankings are Istanbul (Turkey) and Pune (India) in second and third places respectively. Other notable cities in the Rising Stars category include Mumbai and Curitiba in Brazil, Belo Horizonte in Brazil, and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
Dealroom.co said the Rising Stars list identifies fast-emerging ecosystems by measuring growth in enterprise value and unicorn production, adjusted for local GDP per capita and cost of living.
Lagos Missing in ‘Global Champions’ Category
While Lagos leads in growth, it did not make the “Global Champions” list—Dealroom’s ranking of the world’s largest and most mature tech ecosystems. This category is dominated by cities like the Bay Area, New York City, and Boston in the U.S., ranked based on total venture capital inflow, startup valuation, unicorn count, and ties to top universities.
Europe’s leading contenders include Paris (#4), London (#6), and Stockholm (#15), while Tel Aviv and Austin also made strong showings at #10 and #5 respectively.
What’s Fueling Lagos’ Tech Boom?
Speaking with Nairametrics, Lagos State Commissioner for Innovation, Science, and Technology, Tunbosun Alake, pointed to the state’s dense population and business-friendly policies as key drivers of the city’s tech growth.
Alake emphasized the state government’s deliberate investments in underserved sectors such as AI and robotics, referencing its support for a local company in that space.
“We have targeted initiatives to support businesses in strategic sectors like artificial intelligence and robotics,” Alake said.
He added that Lagos has dedicated teams to bridge the gap between startups and government agencies, particularly in areas such as transportation, to help scale innovations faster.
With this recognition, Lagos continues to solidify its status as Africa’s tech capital and a rising global force in technology and innovation.
