Aba is set to become a hub of innovation and entrepreneurship as MTN takes its youth-focused cultural and lifestyle event, The Gathering, to the commercial city, with a ₦5 million Pitchathon aimed at discovering and supporting promising startup founders.
The two-day event will take place at the Prime Event Centre in Aba from June 14 to 15, 2026, bringing together entrepreneurs, innovators, creatives and young business leaders from across the region.
At the centre of the programme is a high-stakes startup competition that will see emerging founders pitch their business ideas for a chance to secure funding and gain exposure before investors, consumers and key industry stakeholders.
The winning startup will receive ₦2.5 million, while the first runner-up will take home ₦1.5 million. The third-placed startup will be awarded ₦1 million, bringing the total prize pool to ₦5 million.
Organisers said the initiative is designed to provide young entrepreneurs with more than just financial support by creating opportunities to validate and scale their ideas through direct engagement with the broader business ecosystem.
The Aba edition follows the success of The Gathering on 100 held at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, from April 22 to 26, where eight startups shared ₦45 million in seed funding after presenting innovative solutions across sectors including fintech, healthtech, agritech, edtech and creative technology.
At the Lagos event, Hurpham Africa emerged as the overall winner, securing ₦15 million in funding support. Coconoto Ltd finished second with ₦10 million, while Rava Send received ₦5 million. Five other startups — URI Social, Dulces Jams, Kindly Book, Africa Medical Marketplace and MyFund — each received ₦3 million in funding, alongside visibility and access to MTN’s business support ecosystem.
According to the organisers, expanding The Gathering beyond Lagos is part of a broader effort to democratise access to opportunities and empower innovators in emerging commercial centres across the country.
The organisers noted that Aba was selected because of its reputation as one of Nigeria’s leading entrepreneurial hubs, with a vibrant ecosystem of innovators, manufacturers and business owners.
Registration for the Pitchathon is now open on The Gathering’s official website, with entrepreneurs, startup founders and innovators from Aba and neighbouring cities encouraged to apply for an opportunity to pitch their ideas live at the event and compete for funding.
