The inaugural GITEX Nigeria – West Africa’s largest tech, AI and startup show – attracted more than 650 startups, 200 investors, and participants from over 40 countries and took place across two Nigerian super-hubs (Abuja and Lagos).
GITEX has become more than just a technology showcase — it’s a launchpad where startups find visibility, validation, and voices that matter.
At GITEX Nigeria 2025, readers of Numeris Media’s flagship publication, Bank & Entrepreneur Africa , took a bold step: they asked for help in cutting through the maze of exhibitors, in order to identify health tech startups addressing issues that affect their daily lives most deeply — mental wellness (top of the list), women’s health, and disability care.
These are the three representative startups that made an impression on us:
1- 🧠 FriendnPal [Co-Founder & CEO, Esther Eruchie]
Africa’s first AI-powered, multilingual mental health platform, FriendnPal offers 24/7 trauma-informed support in English, Hausa, Yoruba, Pidgin, Swahili, and voice-first solutions for low-literacy users. With 10,000+ users in under a year, FriendnPal has intercepted over 50 suicidal cases and is proving that mental health care can be accessible, affordable, and culturally relevant.
2- 🌿 Débbo Africa [Co-Founders, Dr. Zara Isa Modibbo & Dr. Aisha Nabila Wanka]
Born from a doctor’s frustration with saying “you came too late”, Débbo the MyDébbo App gives women access to AI-powered triage, diagnostics (right from the first illness symptoms), and virtual consultations with licensed specialists — gynaecologists, endocrinologists, dieticians, and more.
3- 🦾Dynalimb Technologies [Co-Founders, Taiwo Akinsanya, Blessing Aniefiok, Kehinde Oluwatobiloba]
Harnessing 3D printing and digital workflows, Dynalimb creates customized prosthetics and orthotics that restore independence for amputees and people with disabilities. Its DynaX platform integrates clinical care, rehabilitation planning, and device production — making assistive care more affordable, scalable, and truly patient-centered.
Nigeria’s health tech sector is expected to reach US$1 billion by the end of 2025, as digital platforms enhance access to healthcare for millions.
Speaking at the Lagos inauguration ceremony of GITEX Nigeria, Executive Governor of the State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, reiterated that Lagos alone had attracted more than US$6 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into its technology startup sector between 2019 and 2024. He described these impressive figures as evidence that Lagos is not just a local economic powerhouse, but also clearly Africa’s innovation capital. According to him, more than 70 per cent of Nigeria’s total tech inflows now pass through Lagos, with the the city nurturing over 70 per cent of Africa’s unicorns.
GITEX, long established as one of the most important stages for Africa’s startup ecosystem, reinforced its authoritative position at GITEX Nigeria 2025. Beyond showcasing technology, it has consistently created a meeting point where innovation aligns with real human needs.
Proudly reported by Oluwafisayo James
