Program Background

Accelerate Africa is an early stage, pre-seed focused accelerator program that runs 2 cohorts per year for up to 10 startups, from across the continent who get support in areas such as storytelling, team development, go to market, product development, and fundraising. 

With ~2000 applications from 3 cohorts, and 30 startups having been part of the full accelerator program, and $14.5M raised since IITF II May 2024. Our mission is to accelerate Africa’s bold and visionary founders who turn collective challenges into global business opportunities by getting  them on a path $1M within 18 months

We’re excited to be launching a Request for Innovation focused on Justice Technology in Africa in partnership with one of the foremast innovators of justice in the world - the Hague Institute for the Innovation of Law

RFI Background: The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) is a non-profit organization dedicated to achieving people-centered justice—justice that is accessible, affordable, and easy to understand. Since 2005, HiiL has worked to ensure that systems are built around the needs of people, not institutions, to help them prevent or resolve their most pressing justice problems.

Nigeria represents a critical junction where immense economic growth potential meets significant justice barriers. The most persistent problems in Nigeria relate to land conflicts, domestic violence, family disputes, and issues with SMEs. Despite the high incidence of legal problems, a majority of citizens prefer informal resolution, highlighting a profound lack of trust and accessibility in formal systems.

We are not looking for simple improvements; we are looking for disruptive technology and business models that can transform systemic failures into mass-market opportunities.

Who Should Apply

• Traction: You have a working product (MVP) and demonstrable early user traction (users, revenue, or active pilots).
• Technology-Enabled: Your solution uses technology (mobile app, web platform, AI, or advanced data) as its primary delivery mechanism.
• Scalability: You have a clear business model and a clear vision for how your solution can reach millions of users across Nigeria and potentially Africa.
• Justice Alignment: Your primary mission aligns with one of the specific HiiL RFI themes outlined below
• Commitment: CEO & Co-Founder + additional co-founder are committed to joining the program for the in person weeks (3) in Lagos, Nigeria
• Bonus: You’re building a solution that enables and systematizes the legal, justice, regulatory environment for the special economic zone in Alaro City and Itana, to a ‘startup & SME city’, 

I. Scaling Economic Participation

We want to find startups that use technology to reduce friction, cost, and time in mandatory legal processes, thereby increasing economic formalization and stability for individuals and SMEs.

1. Registration & Compliance 

Market Context & Problem: Despite reforms like the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020, which streamlined initial business registration, obtaining necessary post-incorporation permits (e.g., environmental, health, specialized industry licenses) remains slow, opaque, and complex. This fragmented process acts as a severe drag on growth, often requiring multiple physical visits and increasing the reliance on costly, informal intermediaries. This friction keeps a large segment of the economy operating in the shadows.

At the same time, tax and regulatory compliance represents a significant time and monetary drain on Nigerian SMEs. The complexity of the tax system, which includes federal, state, and local levies, requires specialized knowledge, leading to a high reliance on external tax professionals, which in turn increases the total compliance cost. This high compliance burden often pushes smaller businesses into tax evasion or informality.

Key Data & Insights:

• While basic business registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) is now faster (often 24-48 hours), the subsequent process for obtaining operational permits from various state and local agencies remains a major bottleneck.
• Compliance complexity is regressive: The burden of navigating multiple regulatory bodies (like NAFDAC, CBN, or state-level physical planning) disproportionately impacts small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
• The average tax compliance cost for SMEs ranges from ₦14,500 to ₦725,000 per annum (Source: Tax Compliance Costs for SMEs Study), with smaller SMEs often bearing a higher relative cost (regressivity).
• Value Added Tax (VAT) is often cited as having the highest relative compliance cost, accounting for roughly 33% of total average tax compliance costs.

Solutions We Seek:

• One-Stop Shop for Business Creation: Integrated platforms that consolidate registration, permitting, compliance steps, and updates into a single interface, reducing fragmentation and improving the user experience.
• Access to Information Platforms: Digital solutions that centralize clear, up-to-date information on regulatory requirements, filing obligations, fees, timelines, and responsible agencies, helping SMEs navigate the system with confidence.
• Permit Management Tools: Platforms that automate the identification and application process for post-incorporation permits based on the business's industry, location, and size.
• Automated Regulatory Filings: Tools that integrate with the business's accounting or operational data to prepare and file recurrent regulatory reports and renewals seamlessly.
• Automated Compliance Monitoring: Software that provides real-time alerts on new tax policies or regulatory changes specific to the user's state and sector.
• Tax Filing Automation: Systems that integrate with accounting software to auto-calculate and file VAT, PAYE, and corporate income taxes, ensuring accurate and timely submission.
• RegTech Chatbots: Tools providing simple, instant legal guidance on required filings, reducing the need for expensive external consultants.

2. Dispute Resolution

Market Context & Problem: The formal litigation system in Nigeria is notoriously slow and expensive. High court backlogs mean commercial and civil disputes can take an average of 447 days in Lagos and 476 days in Kano (Source: World Bank, Doing Business) to resolve. This "justice delayed" phenomenon severely undermines contract sanctity and investor confidence, pushing citizens toward often exclusionary and non-enforceable informal systems.

Key Data & Insights:

• 243,000+ pending cases were reported in superior courts in Q1 2024 (Source: Arise News), illustrating the massive backlog.
• Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods like negotiation and arbitration are becoming more common in sectors like construction, proving faster resolution is possible.

Solutions We Seek:

• Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) Platforms: Scalable, sector-specific ODR platforms (e.g., focused on landlord-tenant, consumer protection, or low-value commercial disputes) that provide faster, cheaper resolution than court.
• Mediation Tech: AI-assisted tools for mediators or parties to streamline evidence submission, scheduling, and settlement negotiation.
• Enforcement Facilitation: Innovations that bridge ODR decisions to formal enforcement mechanisms, addressing the challenge of making alternative resolutions legally binding and effective.

3. Contract Management

Market Context & Problem: While formal contracts are essential for economic security, access to high-quality, legally sound contract templates and efficient management tools is limited. This leads to legal uncertainty in business dealings, particularly among small firms, who often rely on poorly drafted agreements or handshake deals, increasing vulnerability to breaches and disputes.

Key Data & Insights:

• The legal friction surrounding contractual agreements is a major factor driving up business risk, particularly in high-growth, technology-driven sectors that rely on clear vendor, IP, and employment contracts.
• Effective contract management (Drafting, Review, Execution, Storage) is a core component of reducing future litigation costs.

Solutions We Seek:

• Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) for SMEs: Platforms offering secure, locally-validated templates for common Nigerian contracts (employment, vendor, lease) with version control and digital signing capabilities.
• Automated Clause Review: Tools that use Natural Language Processing (NLP) to flag high-risk or ambiguous clauses in draft contracts, making legal review more accessible.
• Verifiable Digital Agreements: Systems that provide immutable records of contract execution and performance (proof of service/delivery) to streamline enforcement.

4. Assessing Creditworthiness

Market Context & Problem: Nigeria faces a massive MSME credit gap, estimated at ₦24 trillion (Source: Channels TV, 2025), largely because MSMEs lack traditional verifiable credit histories or acceptable collateral (like immovable property). Traditional financial institutions struggle to assess risk for "thin-file" borrowers, despite the operational success of many small businesses. Reforms like the National Collateral Registry (NCR) exist but are underutilized.

Key Data & Insights:

• 77% of MSMEs sampled indicate access to finance as a major obstacle (Source: ResearchGate).
• Less than 10% of domestic credit is extended to the private sector in Nigeria (Source: IFC, 2019), far below the African average.
• There is a deep reliance on family and friends for financing, indicating high demand and supply failure in the formal sector.

Solutions We Seek:

• Alternative Data Credit Scoring: Platforms that use legally verifiable non-traditional data—like business registration status, compliance history, utility payments, or proprietary contract completion data—to create a robust credit score.
• Movable Asset Formalization: Solutions that integrate with the NCR or other registers to legally track and formalize movable assets (equipment, inventory) as viable collateral for loans.
• Legal Risk Assessment for Lenders: Tools that provide lenders with a clear assessment of a borrower's legal standing and ease of contract/debt enforcement.

5. Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Governance & Digitalization

The Market Context: As of 2026, Africa has over 230 SEZs across 43 countries, with Nigeria alone hosting over 40 licensed zones (managed by NEPZA and OGEFZA). While these zones offer 100% tax holidays and duty-free imports, they are often "analog islands."

The Data & The Problem:

• The Compliance Gap: Companies in SEZs often report that while the law says they are exempt from certain taxes, the physical process of proving this to various government agencies remains manual and slow.
• The Investment Decline: Globally, international project finance for SEZs saw a steep decline in 2024 (down nearly 50% in volume). To reverse this, the 2025/2026 focus has shifted toward digital SEZs that prioritize efficiency over just "land and tax breaks."
• Bureaucratic Friction: In Nigeria, despite the Startup Act of 2022, many founders find SEZ benefits unreachable because the "One-Stop Shops" still require physical presence and paper-heavy workflows for expatriate quotas and capital repatriation.

Solutions We Seek:

A. The "Virtual Free Zone" Passport

Startups often cannot afford the physical rent in a luxury SEZ like Alaro City or Eko Atlantic. We are looking for solutions that:

• Create a digital-first SEZ status where a startup can be "domiciled" in a zone for tax purposes while operating remotely.
• Example: A software platform that automates the "Startup Labeling" process under the Nigerian Startup Act and links it directly to SEZ fiscal benefits.

B. Automated Customs & Duty Triage

One of the biggest SEZ perks is duty-free import of "capital goods." However, clearing these goods through ports (like Apapa or Onne) often leads to delays because the "SEZ status" isn't instantly verified by customs.

• Solution: A blockchain-based ledger that provides real-time verification of SEZ-registered assets, allowing for "Green Channel" clearing at ports without manual intervention.

C. SEZ "Digital Twins" for Administration

Most SEZ managers still use spreadsheets to track land use, utility billing, and tenant compliance.

• Solution: An ERP specifically for SEZ authorities (like NEPZA) that allows tenants to apply for permits, pay for utilities, and report "repatriation of profits" through a single dashboard.

D. The AfCFTA "Rule of Origin" Validator

With the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in full swing, products made in SEZs must prove they meet "Rule of Origin" requirements to get tariff discounts.

• Solution: A supply-chain tracking tool that certifies a product's "Made in Africa" percentage automatically, ensuring businesses in the zone can export across the continent with zero friction.