Nigeria’s tech sector is breaking new ground in fintech, artificial intelligence (AI), and healthtech, but founders warned that tightening regulations were slowing down growth.
From data protection to cybersecurity, compliance rules were piling up and many startups said the web of government requirements was choking their ability to scale.
To help ease the pressure, a new Abuja-based advisory company, PolicIQ, has opened its doors with a mission to stop regulation from becoming the silent killer of African innovation.
Surveys showed nearly one in four Nigerian fintech firms viewed regulation as their biggest growth barrier, while 70 per cent operate without a compliance officer. Fresh laws such as the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and tougher cybersecurity standards were allegedly adding to the strain.
“Too many brilliant companies stumble, not because their ideas are weak, but because they overlook the legal and regulatory obligations that already apply to them,” said Abdullah Tijani, PolicIQ’s managing partner. “Our job is to give startups, corporates and investors the clarity they need to scale with confidence.”
With artificial intelligence and other digital technologies spreading rapidly, PolicIQ’s arrival highlights a new reality for African tech as future success will depend not only on bold ideas but on the ability to stay on the right side of the law.
