Wema Bank is kicking off the national pitch tour for the seventh edition of its Hackaholics at the University of Uyo, marking the first of 10 regional pitch centres to be hosted across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
The three-day event, scheduled for July 15 to 17, 2026, will bring together startups, founders, software developers, technology enthusiasts and young innovators to showcase solutions designed to tackle pressing real-world challenges through innovation and technology.
The University of Uyo pitch event will serve as a regional innovation hub where participants from Akwa Ibom State and neighbouring states will present their ideas before a panel of industry experts and judges. Outstanding teams from each regional pitch centre will qualify for the Hackaholics 7.0 Grand Finale, where they will compete for a share of the programme’s N150 million prize pool.
Themed “Powering Possibilities,” Hackaholics 7.0 introduces three competition tracks: the Startup Pitch Competition, the Hackathon, and the newly launched Social Impact Track, reflecting Wema Bank’s commitment to fostering commercially viable innovations alongside solutions that deliver measurable social impact.
Participants are expected to develop and present solutions across seven strategic sectors—Financial Inclusion, Healthcare, Digital Transformation, Education, Sustainability, Social Impact and the Future of Work—areas considered critical to Nigeria’s economic growth and digital transformation agenda.
According to Wema Bank, participation is open and free to Nigerian youth, startups, founders, developers and innovators with scalable, technology-driven ideas capable of solving real-world problems.
Prospective participants can register by visiting the Hackaholics portal, selecting “Apply Now,” choosing their preferred competition track and completing the online application process.
Hackaholics is Wema Bank’s flagship innovation platform established to discover, nurture and empower the next generation of African innovators through mentorship, funding opportunities, strategic partnerships and market exposure.
The seventh edition expands the programme with an increased prize pool of N150 million and the introduction of the Social Impact Track, reinforcing the bank’s drive to support innovations that create sustainable economic value while addressing critical societal challenges.