HubPharm Africa wins $30,000 ECOWAS Startup Award

Nigerian healthtech startup HubPharm Africa has won the first prize at the second ECOWAS Startup Awards in Abuja. The company, co-founded by Sesan Kareem and Tope Kareem, received $30,000 for its AI-powered specialty pharmacy and coordinated-care platform, which focuses on improving medicine access and treatment adherence for chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension.

Other winners in the competition included Senegal’s Gaynako, which took second place with $20,000, and Côte d’Ivoire’s myOpinion, which earned $15,000 for third place. The total prize pool for the event was $65,000.

Beyond the monetary awards, the ECOWAS Commission aims for the program to serve as an instrument for regional economic transformation and a tool to combat youth unemployment by fostering job creators. The 60 finalists will participate in a six-month acceleration program providing mentorship and access to regional investor networks.