Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Strategy and Startup Survival in the Nigerian Tech Hub Environment

This study examines how strategic characteristics of entrepreneurial ecosystems influence startup survival rates in Nigeria's technology hub environment. Nigeria's tech hub landscape, centered predominantly in Lagos but with emerging hubs in Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Enugu, has attracted significant attention as Africa's leading startup ecosystem. Ecosystem theory and entrepreneurial strategy literature provide the conceptual framework. The research employs a sequential mixed methods design. A quantitative survival analysis of 150 tech startups tracked over five years provided the base dataset, while qualitative interviews with ecosystem stakeholders including hub managers, investors, and accelerator directors provided contextual depth. Cox proportional hazards regression was applied to model survival determinants. Findings indicate that startup survival rates are significantly higher for ventures embedded in ecosystems characterized by active mentorship networks, accessible seed funding, and strong corporate-startup collaboration programs. Ecosystem resource density, measured by the concentration of co-located complementary services, significantly moderates the relationship between startup strategy quality and survival outcomes. The study finds that startups in Lagos demonstrate higher survival rates than those in emerging hubs, attributable to ecosystem maturity differences. The research concludes that strategic investment in ecosystem infrastructure development is essential for improving startup survival rates in emerging Nigerian tech hubs. Keywords: entrepreneurial ecosystem, startup survival, tech hubs, Nigeria, ecosystem strategy.