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