South-South & South-East Startup Ecosystem & State of Digital Jobs Report 2025

The South-South & South-East Startup Ecosystem & State of Digital Jobs Report 2025 is one of the most comprehensive data-driven snapshots of innovation, startup activity, funding, talent, and digital employment across Southern Nigeria.

Published by #StartupSouth, the report maps the emerging frontier innovation economies reshaping the South-South and South-East regions — revealing where startup momentum is accelerating, where capital is flowing, where talent is concentrating, and where the ecosystem’s biggest structural opportunities and gaps now exist.

Covering 11 states across the South-South and South-East, the report combines startup ecosystem mapping, digital jobs analysis, funding trends, founder insights, employer perspectives, and ecosystem infrastructure analysis into a single intelligence document for founders, investors, policymakers, researchers, development partners, media professionals, and ecosystem builders.

Key Highlights

• Startup count grew 54.3% between 2023 and 2025
• Total disclosed funding crossed $10.2M
• The South-East overtook the South-South in startup share for the first time
• Port Harcourt leads in startup volume while Enugu leads in capital raised
• Six startups account for 86.6% of ecosystem funding
• Nearly 70% of digital talents are unemployed or freelancing
• Most remotely employed talents now work for companies outside the region
• EduTech emerged as one of the ecosystem’s biggest funding contradictions

Who This Report Is For

• Startup founders
• Investors & venture funds
• Policymakers
• Development organisations
• ESOs & innovation hubs
• Researchers & academics
• Journalists & media professionals
• Corporate innovation teams
• Ecosystem builders

What You’ll Learn

• Which states and cities are growing fastest
• Where startup funding is concentrated
• Which sectors are emerging
• The real state of digital jobs in the SSE
• Why talent is leaving local markets
• The ecosystem’s biggest structural gaps
• Where future opportunities may emerge