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Business

Silicon Valley Experts to Bridge Nigeria’s Startup Mentorship Gap

todayAugust 21, 2025

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By Julian Osamoto

Nigeria’s lack of experienced startup mentors is receiving global attention as Silicon Valley professionals move to plug the gap through the newly launched Founder Dojo programme.

Backed by the United States Market Access Center (US.MAC), Imo Digital City Ltd, and the Imo State Government, the initiative will provide Nigerian entrepreneurs with world-class mentorship, hackathons, and accelerator programmes modelled on Silicon Valley standards.

Co-founder of Global Innovation Dojo, Colin Donohue, said Nigeria’s ecosystem has immense potential but falls short in mentorship.

“Investors are already searching for strong deals worldwide. What Nigeria needs are mentors who understand scaling at a global level,” Donohue explained.
“The economic impact comes from resilient leaders who not only build one successful company but go on to create more. One major exit can produce dozens of other valuable businesses.”

US.MAC Chief Executive, Dr. Chris Burry, emphasised that success in entrepreneurship depends on adaptability and continuous learning.

“The speed of learning happens in different ways—the learning from your customers, the learning when you enter a new market, and most importantly, the learning about yourself,” Burry said.
“A founder must be open to reflection and self-growth.”

At the Abuja pre-launch, officials announced that about 2,000 applications are expected nationwide, with 100 startups selected for the first phase. From there, only five high-potential firms will advance to Silicon Valley to pitch before global venture capitalists.

Matt Ifesieh, U.S. representative for Africa, described the programme as “the first large-scale presence of Silicon Valley professionals on-site in Nigeria” and a gateway to foreign investment inflows.

“The goal is to identify around 2,000 applicants, narrow them to 100, and ultimately select a handful of outstanding startups with global potential,” he explained.

He added that the program, delivered in partnership with the University of California, Berkeley, could significantly boost Nigeria’s revenue base and foreign investment inflows.

Written by: Julian Osamoto

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