By peace Udugba
Wema Bank, Nigeria’s most innovative bank and pioneer of Africa’s first fully digital bank, ALAT, has reaffirmed its commitment to youth innovation and entrepreneurship with the rollout of Hackaholics 6.0, its flagship campus ideathon.
This year’s edition has taken the Hackaholics train across four major Nigerian cities — from the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, to the University of Ibadan (UI) and Purple Academy, Lagos. The initiative has brought together some of Sub-Saharan Africa’s brightest young talents to design transformative solutions to real-world challenges.
With over 3,000 entries submitted to date, each campus stop has drawn hundreds of students and young entrepreneurs eager to participate in the innovation challenge. Attendees benefited from industry-led masterclasses, ideation sessions, mentorship opportunities, and pitch development training.
The four-day events in each location culminated in high-energy pitch sessions, where top teams showcased their solutions and competed for recognition and support.
Through Hackaholics 6.0, Wema Bank continues to strengthen its legacy of driving digital innovation, supporting talent, and enabling the next generation of Nigerian tech entrepreneurs.
At every stop on the Hackaholics 6.0 tour, three winning ideathon teams—including at least one women-led group—and two hackathon teams earned coveted invitations to the upcoming Grand Finale. These finalists now have the opportunity to scale their innovations with full support from Wema Bank’s innovation ecosystem.
Speaking on the impact of the initiative, Moruf Oseni, Managing Director/CEO of Wema Bank Plc, emphasized the broader vision of Hackaholics:
“Hackaholics has always been about more than just technology. It is about empowering young people to think differently, create boldly, and provide solutions that move our industry and nation forward. The level of talent and creativity we’ve seen so far reaffirms why we continue to invest in this programme. These innovative ideas can truly shape the future of financial services and beyond, and we are excited to help bring them to life.”
Since its launch in 2019, Hackaholics has grown into one of Nigeria’s most prominent platforms for youth innovation. To date, the program has attracted over 12,000 applicants from 15 institutions, and disbursed over $300,000 in funding, including ₦75 million awarded specifically to women-led teams between 2023 and 2024.
Wema Bank’s Hackaholics continues to serve as a dynamic ecosystem for students, innovators, and early-stage founders, fostering collaboration, mentorship, and long-term partnerships with the bank, while driving forward Nigeria’s digital future.
As the Hackaholics 6.0 train continues its tour across more cities ahead of the Grand Finale, Wema Bank reaffirms its commitment to nurturing the next generation of Nigerian innovators. Students and aspiring entrepreneurs are encouraged to visit [https://hackaholics.wemabank.com](https://hackaholics.wemabank.com)* for details on how to participate and submit their entries.
