Tech Fair: Zenith Bank Empowers African Innovators with N140m
Zenith Bank Plc empowers African innovators with N140 million cash prize at the conclusion of its tech fair. The bank said a total cash prize of N140 million has been awarded to the African innovators to scale their transformative solutions after a keenly contested hackathon.
The startups staged their pitches at the Fifth Edition of the Zenith Tech Fair, themed “Future Forward 5.0: Tech for Success – Innovate, Adapt, Accelerate” held last week at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The 2025 edition of the Zenith Tech Fair featured an expanded, dual-competition structure that included a high-stakes Hackathon for product development and a Startup Pitch Competition for early-stage ventures, and drew participation from thousands of developers, founders, and entrepreneurs across the continent.
The prize money was shared among ten finalists who emerged from the over 2,000 contestants that took part in the Zecathon. In the hotly contested final, two major winners emerged, each receiving the top prize of N30 million.
The winner of the Hackathon, Trust Loop, clinched first place for its innovative solution that delivers seamless digital KYC and liveness verification. Simultaneously, the winner of the Startup Pitch Competition, Cubbes Technologies Limited, secured the top spot for its revolutionary AI-powered EdTech platform that enhances learning and career readiness.
The remaining eight (8) finalists across both categories were equally recognised, each receiving N10 million in non-dilutive funding. They include Venille Ltd, Sowota, FLOW, InvoPay, Zenith Intelliscore, The Very Hacked Men, Konfam and Zerax. All ten finalists will also be entitled to a six-week mentorship and incubation programme designed to help them grow and scale effectively, and this will run from December 2025 to February 2026.
The Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Dame Dr Adaora Umeoji, OON, in her welcome address, thanked the Founder & Chairman, Dr Jim Ovia, CFR, for the visionary foresight that led to the creation of the Zenith Tech Fair.
Commenting on the Zecathon, she said, “Our theme this year, ‘Tech for Success: Innovate, Adapt, Accelerate’, is very timely. To appreciate its urgency, it helps to reflect on the speed of human progress. According to the Harvard Business Review, it took humanity millions of years to master fire, yet only 66 years to move from the first powered flight to landing on the moon.
“The lesson is simple – the next technological breakthrough will not take a lifetime. It will emerge sooner than we expect and could come from any one of you in this room today.
“We are confident that this Tech Fair will produce innovators who will change the world, and we stand ready to support you to turn your ideas into reality.”
In his Goodwill Message, the Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, CFR, said, “This fifth edition reflects our unwavering commitment to create value through technology, innovation, and talent development.
“My vision is to continue to empower the youth through technology, with the hope that one day we will produce the likes of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos.”
Whilst delivering his goodwill message, the Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, called for increased technological empowerment initiatives to provide youths with adequate opportunities needed to thrive in the digital future.
He said, “What I see happening here every year are things that we in leadership need to connect with. This is an activation that can bring life and real conversation to the young, dynamic, innovative, and creative young people that we have in this country.
“By 2050, half of the youth population in the world will be in Africa, and even in Africa, they will be in Nigeria, and if they are in Nigeria, they will be somewhere in Lagos, and we need to be able to fish them out. We need to give them an opportunity and a space to fly.
“We want to make Lagos the human capital centre of the world, where Microsoft and Google will think of raising a million tech experts. That’s the kind of vision and opportunity we want to leave behind.”
Hailed as a resounding success by participants, the Fair showcased cutting-edge demonstrations on the role of Generative AI, Agentic AI, and Cloud Computing in driving economic growth with Keynote addresses delivered by Sitoyo Lopokoiyit, Managing Director, M-PESA Africa; Jonas Kjellberg, Co-Creator, Skype and Dr. Shivagami Gugan, Chief Technologist for Middle East, Turkey and Africa, AWS.
The event also featured goodwill messages by the National Commissioner, Nigeria Data Protection Commission, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, and the Governor of Niger State, His Excellency, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, ably represented by the Head of Service, Niger State, Mr. Abubakar Sadiq Idris.
Another key feature from the tech fair this year was the robust exclusive masterclasses delivered by global technology and consulting powerhouses: McKinsey & Company, Huawei, Check Point, and Microsoft. These sessions covered critical topics from cybersecurity to advanced cloud solutions and disruptive technologies, equipping participants with world-class insights.
Zenith Bank remains committed to fostering an ecosystem where innovation thrives, ensuring that the next generation of African tech leaders have the capital, mentorship, and resources required to achieve global scalability and impact. Fitch Affirms Ireland at ‘AA’ with Stable Outlook
