5,329 Participants, 21 Finalists Emerge for Wema Bank’s Hackaholics 7.0
Wema Bank has unveiled 21 outstanding finalists for the seventh edition of its Hackaholics innovation programme, with the selected startups set to compete at the grand finale in Lagos on Friday, November 6, 2026.
The event, tagged Festival of the Future, will bring together technology experts, investors, startup founders, innovators and other key players in Nigeria’s digital and innovation ecosystem.
The finalists include Dynalimb, Harthiq, Acceede, Vhorde, URI, Trarrk, SocialSign, RaverPay, All-Arbitrates, CitizensGage, Craft-Planet, FOID, PayByPalm, Niteonn, Nexa-AI, Neural-Forge, MamaAlert, JolliFlow, Becca, CropiQ and Middleman.
Hackaholics, an initiative of Wema Bank, was established to identify and support young talents with innovative ideas capable of addressing real-life challenges through technology.
Since its launch in 2019, the programme has received over 21,000 applications, engaged more than 50,000 participants, supported over 10,000 startups across three countries and helped develop more than 100 solutions from the ground up.
The 2026 edition commenced on July 1 and attracted 5,329 participants, who collectively developed 1,632 innovative ideas and solutions across seven locations.
The pitch centres were located in Uyo, Kano, YabaTech, Benin, Ibadan, Enugu and Lagos.
At the end of the nationwide selection activities, 59 participants emerged from the various centres, while a comprehensive multi-stage assessment process eventually narrowed the competition to 21 finalists.
As part of activities leading to the grand finale, the finalists will participate in a Pre-Pitch session on Wednesday, November 4, to showcase refined versions of their innovations.
On Thursday, November 5, participants will embark on an Ecosystem Tour powered by Wema Bank. The exercise is designed to connect them with leading technology and innovation institutions, expose them to industry professionals and provide practical knowledge ahead of the competition.
The week-long activities will reach their peak on Friday, November 6, when the finalists compete at the grand finale and outstanding innovators are recognised.
Wema Bank said the Hackaholics initiative underscores its commitment to nurturing young entrepreneurs, promoting technological advancement and creating opportunities for innovative ideas to develop into sustainable solutions.
The bank added that the programme remains an important part of its efforts to empower emerging innovators and strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global technology and digital economy.
