The bank announced this in a statement on Wednesday.
Hackaholics is Wema Bank’s youth & start-up-focused initiative designed to provide a platform for young innovators with game-changing, tech-driven ideas and products, to bring their creative ideas to life, hone their skills and gain a competitive edge in the global technology and digital space.
The statement revealed that the Hackaholics Digital Summit will take place on Friday at the maiden edition of Africa’s largest gathering of technology experts and digital revolutionaries.
It added further that since the launch of Hackaholics in 2019, the initiative has toured the six geo-political zones in Nigeria Including 37 universities across Africa, sourcing creative undergraduate students, youth and start-ups, challenging them to innovate and create practical solutions to real-life problems, using technology.
According to the statement, the top finalists were, “Daniel Babalola for Team Talo, Adeniyi Daniel for Team TouchNut, David Campbell for Team Naija Box, Ebulue Ifeanyichukwu Henry for Team Raptor, Jane Agbaohwo for Team Ireti, Raphael Fynecontry for Team Qevolt Limited, Oluwayemi Victoria Oluwapelumi for Team Crox Technologies Limited.”
“Joshua Mosinmiloluwa Ajadi for Team District 7, Bonojo Adedayo for Team Pup Industries, Tochukwu Ifeanyi for Team Outside, Olukayode Fadairo for Team mumAlive, Kingsley Obasi for Team Telehealth Support, Seriki Sogo for Team SitiPass, Efemena Hilda Onovre for Team Nadir, Oluwatimilehin Ogunme for Team Trakka, Nelson Nelson-Atuonwu for Team Grip.”
“Godfrey Ayaosi for Team Afrilingo, Oluwatoyin Ajayi for Team Travel Buddy, Gift Akobundu for Team Shopalz Chai, Olabanji Taiwo for Team Waste2Life, Macaulay Precious Teinna for Team Chekka Inc., Gladness Akinpelu for Team Oak, Victor Ojo for Team Favorite Doctor, Idiare Grace for Team VarsityScape and Damilare Ololade for Team UniversityX.”
The statement added that since the inception of the initiative, at least, 300,000 lives and businesses across the country have leveraged the visionary hackathon to make their big break into the tech industry and transform their passion for technology into sustainable sources of income, earning grants of over $200,000 from Wema Bank.
“The ongoing 4th edition of Hackaholics, dubbed ‘Hackaholics 4.0: Reimagine’, has seen participants pitch compelling creative ideas for impactful solutions that would ease struggles across 10 different areas of human life.
“Education, climate, gov tech, health, gender-based violence, financial inclusion, entertainment, fintech, insurance and civic tech. The best-performing contestants have been unveiled as the Top 25 finalists in the Hackaholics 4.0 competition,” it stated
The statement reiterated that the finalists have convened in Lagos for a week-long programme of strategic digital empowerment activities, carefully curated by Wema Bank.
“Over the first few days, finalists received one-of-a-kind executive mentorship from renowned national and global technology corporations like Microsoft, KPMG, Samsung, Paystack, Flutterwave and Dream Space, among others,” it said.
“This would equip them with hands-on insight and prepare them for the Hackaholics 4.0 grand finale pre-pitch.”
The statement said there would be a panel of judges comprising, the Managing Director and Chef Executive Officer of Endeavor Africa, Ireayomide Oladunjoye, Chief Information Officer of Wema Bank, Adeoluwa Akomolafe, and the Wema Bank’s Divisional Head, Retail and SME, Ayodele Olojede.
“Once again, Wema Bank raises the bar for holistic banking and financial services in Nigeria, with over N50m cash prize distributed across 5 categories.
“The winner gets N15m, 1st runner-up gets N10m, 2nd runner-up gets N7m, N5m is reserved for any female-led team to encourage more women to key into tech, while N22m is disbursed in University Stem endowment”, the statement explained.
“Wema Bank is undeniably the foremost organisation in Nigeria to host a campus-based ideation of this magnitude for young Nigerians across the country. With each solution, partnership and initiative, the pioneering financial institution continues to orchestrate a seamless financial, economic and digital innovation ecosystem to enhance Nigerian lives and businesses, support goals and drive economic growth and national development,” it concluded.
