Wema Bank Launches 7th Hackaholics with N500M Grants

Wema Bank, Nigeria's oldest indigenous bank, officially launched the 7th edition of its flagship innovation initiative, Hackaholics, on July 1, 2026, at its headquarters in Lagos. This year's Hackaholics features three tracks and seven verticals, with a total grant prize pool of 500 million Naira.

The initiative is designed to support young African creatives in developing tech-driven solutions across various sectors, including financial inclusion, healthcare, digital transformation, education, sustainable social impact, and the future of work. Applications are open via the portal hackaholics.wemabank.com, and the program will include a national tour with ten pitch centers across six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

The grand final winner will be announced at the conclusion of the competition. Moruf Oseni, Wema Bank's MD/CEO, emphasized the bank's commitment to empowering youth and promoting economic growth in Africa.

Tajudeen Bakar, Wema Bank's Division Executive for Business Support, encouraged young Nigerians to leverage this opportunity to explore their creativity and become startup founders.