Wema Bank has continued to deepen its commitment to youth innovation and entrepreneurship with Hackaholics 6.0, its flagship campus ideathon.

This year, the Hackaholics train has toured four Nigeria 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, bringing together some of the brightest young minds in Sub-Saharan Africa to create transformative solutions to real-world problems.

With over 3,000 entries submitted so far, at each location, hundreds of students and young entrepreneurs gathered to receive industry-led masterclasses, and develop ideas aimed at solving challenges in the ecosystem.

For four days in each location, participants were immersed in the full Hackaholics experience, from ideation to mentorship to pitch readiness, culminating in high-energy final pitches where the best ideas emerged.

In every location, three Ideathon winning teams; including one women-led group and two Hackathon teams walked away with invitations to compete at the Hackaholics 6.0 Grand Finale.

These teams now stand a chance to scale their solutions with the backing of Wema Bank’s innovation ecosystem. Speaking on the initiative, Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Wema Bank, Moruf Oseni, said: “Hackaholics has always been about more than technology.

“It is about empowering young people to think differently, create boldly, and contribute solutions that can move our industry and nation forward.

“The level of talent and creativity we have witnessed so far further reinforces why we continue to invest in this programme.

“The innovative ideas and solutions coming out of the participants have the power to shape the future of financial services and beyond, and we are excited to see them come to life.