Lagos has been recognized as the world’s fastest-growing tech hub in 2025, according to the newly released Global Tech Ecosystem Index 2025 by Netherlands-based research firm Dealroom.co.
The report highlights Lagos’ impressive growth, noting it as home to five unicorn startups—Interswitch, Flutterwave, Jumia, OPay, and Moniepoint—positioning the Nigerian city as a vibrant destination for emerging tech companies.
Ranked first in the “Rising Stars” category, Lagos leads a group of cities fueling the next wave of global tech innovation. “This year, Lagos (#1) tops the list, having produced 5 unicorns and expanded its ecosystem valuation by 11.6 times since 2017, despite operating within a smaller economy,” Dealroom.co stated.
Following Lagos in the rankings are Istanbul, Turkey, in second place, and Pune, India, in third. Other cities making the list include Belo Horizonte and Curitiba in Brazil, Mumbai in India, and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
Dealroom.co explained that the Rising Stars category spotlights emerging tech ecosystems showing rapid growth in enterprise value and unicorn creation, adjusted for factors such as GDP per capita and cost of living. The list underscores the accelerating innovation coming out of markets in Africa, India, Türkiye, and Brazil.
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