Wema Bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Moruf Oseni, has announced November 6, 2026, for the grand finale of Hackaholics 7.0, the bank’s flagship innovation programme in Nigeria, unveiling “Festival of the Future” as the theme for an event expected to bring together technology leaders, startup founders, investors and young innovators to explore emerging technologies and celebrate solutions capable of addressing real-world challenges.
The announcement marks the final stage of a nationwide innovation drive that attracted 5,329 participants and generated 1,632 ideas and solutions, highlighting growing interest among young Nigerians in technology, entrepreneurship and digital innovation.
Also read: Dino Melaye dares Tinubu to quranic recitation contest
The grand finale will go beyond the conventional startup competition format, featuring innovation showcases, interactive experiences and discussions on how emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, are reshaping businesses, industries and everyday life.
According to Wema Bank, the Festival of the Future is designed to create opportunities for participants to experience new technologies, exchange ideas, discover innovative solutions and establish connections with key players in the country’s technology ecosystem.
Speaking on the inspiration behind the theme, Oseni said the rapidly changing technological landscape required individuals and businesses to become more intentional about preparing for and shaping the future.
“The world is changing at an unprecedented pace. Artificial intelligence and emerging technologies are transforming industries, businesses and everyday life, creating opportunities that would have been difficult to imagine just a few years ago. The question is no longer simply what the future holds, but how prepared we are to shape it,” he said.
Oseni explained that the concept was developed to bring innovation closer to people, encourage meaningful conversations and challenge participants to rethink how they would live, work, build and create in the years ahead.
He also reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting young Nigerian innovators, noting that Hackaholics had evolved beyond a competition into a platform for identifying talent, developing ideas and connecting entrepreneurs with opportunities.
“Since we launched Hackaholics, our goal has remained consistent; to provide young Nigerians with the platform, resources, opportunities and support they need to transform their ideas into practical solutions,” Oseni said.
He added that the bank intended to strengthen the innovation ecosystem by creating opportunities for young people to develop solutions with the potential to deliver lasting economic and social value.
Launched in 2019, Hackaholics has grown into one of Wema Bank’s major youth-focused innovation initiatives, supporting technology enthusiasts, startup founders and entrepreneurs working on solutions to real-world challenges.
According to previous reports on the programme, its earlier editions have supported thousands of startups and innovators, engaged tens of thousands of participants and facilitated the development of more than 100 solutions.
The initiative has also provided grant funding to help outstanding participants develop and scale their ideas.
The seventh edition, launched on July 1, 2026, under the theme “Powering Possibilities”, began with a nationwide pitch centre tour aimed at identifying promising innovations from young Nigerians across different regions.
The four-month exercise attracted 5,329 participants and generated 1,632 ideas and solutions, with pitch centres established in Uyo, Kano, Yaba College of Technology, Benin, Ibadan, Enugu and Lagos.
The programme featured three tracks: Ideathon, Hackathon and Social Impact. The Ideathon provided a platform for promising early-stage ideas, while the Hackathon focused on technology developers and innovators building practical solutions.
The Social Impact track, meanwhile, recognised initiatives designed to address societal challenges and deliver measurable benefits to communities.
At the conclusion of the nationwide tour, 59 participants emerged from the various pitch centres and will undergo another round of selection to produce 20 finalists.
The shortlisted innovators are scheduled to present refined versions of their solutions during a pre-pitch session on November 4, ahead of the grand finale.
On November 5, Wema Bank will organise an ecosystem tour, offering participants opportunities to visit leading institutions within the technology and innovation sector, interact with industry professionals and gain practical insights into the business and development of technology-driven solutions.
The activities will culminate on November 6 with the Festival of the Future, where outstanding innovators will be recognised for their ideas and contributions.
The programme also reflects a broader shift in the role of financial institutions within Nigeria’s evolving technology ecosystem, as banks increasingly explore ways to support entrepreneurship, digital transformation and innovation beyond traditional financial services.
For Wema Bank, Hackaholics provides an avenue to connect its digital banking ambitions with the creativity and entrepreneurial potential of young Nigerians.
Its emphasis on funding, mentorship, partnerships and innovation showcases also highlights the importance of supporting promising ideas beyond the initial competition stage.
As artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies continue to reshape global industries, platforms that connect young innovators with resources, industry expertise and investment opportunities could play an important role in developing Nigeria’s next generation of technology-driven businesses.
With 20 finalists expected to emerge from the next selection stage, the November 6 grand finale will provide an opportunity to spotlight some of the country’s promising young innovators and demonstrate how locally developed ideas can contribute to solving practical challenges.
Also read: Dino Melaye dares Tinubu to quranic recitation contest
Through the Festival of the Future, Wema Bank is seeking to turn the conversation around innovation into a more engaging experience, reinforcing its ambition to support an ecosystem where creativity, technology and entrepreneurship can translate into meaningful opportunities.
