The GovTech Innovation Challenge 2025 serves as a pioneering initiative that bridges government agencies with cutting-edge technology firms to address public sector obstacles. This year’s collaboration with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) will see chosen startups jointly creating digital solutions to enhance tax administration systems, with a specific focus on taxation of the informal sector and VAT compliance for e-commerce.
Read more about Opportunities
This initiative represents a joint effort by the World Bank, Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), and Trust Valley, with program management handled by the EPFL Innovation Park Foundation.
Qualifying Industry Sectors:
- Tax administration systems.
- Digital government services/e-government.
- Financial technology solutions.
- E-commerce monitoring and regulatory compliance.
- Data analysis and analytics.
- Digital identity solutions and mobile-priority platforms.
Program Category:
- Innovation Challenge
- Funding Opportunity
- Skills Development
Sign up for the Connect Nigeria daily newsletter
Eligibility Requirements:
Qualified candidates include early-stage startups, scaling companies, and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) meeting these criteria:
- Possess legal incorporation status.
- Maintain a workforce of under 75 employees.
- Report annual revenue below $5M USD.
- Demonstrate proven technical and business capabilities.
- Commit to complete program participation and data sharing with program partners.
- Support objectives related to public sector digitalisation and social impact.
Selection Methodology:
The evaluation process consists of multiple stages:
- Initial application assessment evaluating relevance, viability, and innovative potential.
- Presentation rounds before expert panels representing the World Bank, SECO, and Trust Valley.
- Ultimate selection of 3 top international proposals for Proof of Concept development.
Geographic Scope:
Globally accessible — enterprises from all countries are welcome to participate.
Implementation Locations:
- Ghana – Execution phase in partnership with the Ghana Revenue Authority, Switzerland.
- Training bootcamp and GovTech Conference in Geneva.
Number of Recipients:
3 finalist organisations will receive comprehensive support, exposure, and implementation possibilities.
Register to attend the CN Business Mixer
Program Benefits:
- Collaborative partnership with the World Bank and the Ghana Revenue Authority.
- Inclusion in the 4-day Swiss GovTech Bootcamp.
- Executive-level B2G (Business-to-Government) collaboration training.
- Study tours to premier Swiss organisations (EPFL, SICPA, Kudelski, and others).
- Global public-private sector networking opportunities.
- Speaking platform at the Geneva GovTech Conference.
- Continued assistance for pilot project development and Ghana implementation.
- Official acknowledgement and exposure within the international GovTech community.
Key Dates:
- Submission Period: July 28 – September 12, 2025
- Training & Conference Events: November 11–14 and December 2, 2025
- Pilot Implementation Period: October 2025 – Early 2026
Click HEREÂ to apply.
Find our comprehensive listings of businesses in Nigeria here https://businesses.connectnigeria.com/
