Wema Bank has unveiled the Top 20 finalists for its flagship innovation programme, Hackaholics 6.0, following a rigorous two-day pre-pitch event held on December 16 and 17, 2025.
The finalists emerged from thousands of technology-driven ideas submitted by young innovators across the country, underscoring the growing depth of Nigeria’s digital and entrepreneurial talent.
Hackaholics, launched by Wema Bank to identify, nurture and scale solutions to real-life challenges, was expanded this year into two competitive streams — the Hackathon and the Ideathon — to accommodate both solution builders and idea developers.
From the Hackathon stream, the finalists are Rapid DEV, Secure IT, Neurafeed, Trust Lock Babcock, Pulse Track, IlluminiTrust, Trust Lock FUTA, Fix Fraud AI, KASH Flow and VOC AI. The Ideathon finalists include PLOY, Fertitude, VarsityScape, Mama ALERT, StockMed, Chao, All Arbitrate, FarmSlate, Sane AI and Cycle X.
Speaking on the evolution of the programme, Wema Bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Moruf Oseni, said the dual-stream model reflects the bank’s belief that innovation goes beyond building entirely new products.
“Innovation is not only about starting from scratch; it is also about refining existing ideas and optimising systems to deliver greater impact,” Oseni said. “Hackaholics continues to showcase the ingenuity and problem-solving strength of Nigerian youths.”
He disclosed that the 2025 edition of Hackaholics toured seven cities nationwide and engaged no fewer than 1,460 participants. From this pool, 43 teams advanced to the pre-pitch stage, where intensive evaluations narrowed the field to the final 20 teams — 10 from each stream.
During the pre-pitch sessions, participants presented technology solutions targeting challenges in sectors such as finance, healthcare, education, agriculture and security. Judges assessed the teams based on innovation, feasibility, scalability and potential impact.
The finalists will now compete at the grand finale scheduled for December 19, 2025, an event expected to attract major players in Africa’s technology and innovation ecosystem. Beyond cash prizes, the competition offers finalists exposure, mentorship and opportunities to connect with potential investors.
Winners in the Ideathon category will receive ₦25 million, ₦20 million and ₦15 million for first, second and third places respectively, with an additional ₦5 million each reserved for two women-led teams. In the Hackathon category, prizes of ₦20 million, ₦15 million, ₦10 million and ₦5 million will go to the top four teams.
The grand finale will be streamed live on Wema Bank’s official YouTube channel, while conversations around the event are expected to trend across social media platforms using the hashtag #Hackaholics6.
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