Wema Bank has unveiled 21 finalists for the seventh edition of its Hackaholics innovation programme, with the selected innovators scheduled to compete at the grand finale on Friday, November 6, 2026, in Lagos.
The competition, themed “Festival of the Future”, will bring together technology leaders, startup founders, investors and innovators to showcase technology-driven solutions and explore opportunities within Nigeria’s growing innovation ecosystem.
The 21 finalists are 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.
According to The Guardian’s report published on Thursday, November 5, the finalists emerged from a nationwide innovation programme that attracted 5,329 participants and generated 1,632 ideas and solutions.
The seventh edition commenced on July 1, 2026, with pitch centres established in Uyo, Kano, Yaba College of Technology, Benin, Ibadan, Enugu and Lagos.
Following the nationwide exercise, 59 participants emerged from the different centres before the selection process narrowed the competition to 21 finalists through a multi-stage evaluation.
Activities leading to the grand finale began on Wednesday, November 4, with a Pre-Pitch session where finalists presented refined versions of their solutions.
On Thursday, November 5, participants are scheduled to take part in an Ecosystem Tour powered by Wema Bank. The tour is designed to expose them to leading institutions in the technology and innovation sector, while providing opportunities to interact with industry professionals and gain practical insights.
The programme will conclude with Friday’s grand finale, where outstanding innovators will be recognised for their solutions.
Hackaholics is Wema Bank’s flagship youth and startup-focused innovation initiative, launched in 2019 to help innovators transform technology-driven ideas into practical solutions to real-world challenges.
Beyond the annual competition, the programme provides opportunities for participants to access mentorship, funding opportunities, partnerships and industry exposure.
Wema Bank’s innovation platform reports that Hackaholics has attracted more than 21,000 applicants, engaged over 50,000 participants, supported more than 10,000 startups across three countries and facilitated the development of over 100 solutions.
Through the initiative, the bank is seeking to strengthen Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem by identifying emerging talent and creating opportunities for technology-driven businesses to develop and scale their solutions.
