Zenith Bank Plc has awarded a total of ₦140 million to ten African innovators at the fifth edition of the Zenith Tech Fair, following a rigorous hackathon and startup pitch competition held at the Eko Convention Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The event, themed “Future Forward 5.0: Tech for Success – Innovate, Adapt, Accelerate,” introduced an expanded dual-competition format comprising a Hackathon focused on product development and a Startup Pitch Competition for early-stage ventures. More than 2,000 participants from across the continent entered the Zecathon, from which ten finalists emerged.

Top Prizes

Two innovators clinched the top awards of ₦30 million each:

• Trust Loop won the Hackathon for its cutting-edge digital KYC and liveness-verification solution.
• Cubbes Technologies Limited took first place in the Startup Pitch Competition with its AI-powered EdTech platform designed to enhance learning outcomes and career readiness.

The remaining eight finalists—Venille Ltd, Sowota, FLOW, InvoPay, Zenith Intelliscore, The Very Hacked Men, Konfam, and Zerax—each received ₦10 million in non-dilutive funding. All ten finalists will also participate in a six-week mentorship and incubation programme scheduled from December 2025 to February 2026.

Leadership Highlights

Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, commended the Bank’s Founder and Chairman, Dr. Jim Ovia, for his vision in establishing the Tech Fair. She underscored the accelerating pace of technological progress and reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to supporting homegrown innovation.

In his remarks, Jim Ovia, CFR, said the fifth edition reflects Zenith Bank’s unwavering dedication to nurturing technology, innovation, and talent development, expressing optimism that the next generation of global tech leaders could emerge from Nigeria.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, praised the initiative and called for more programmes that equip young Nigerians for the digital future. He reiterated Lagos’ ambition to become a global hub for tech talent.

Event Features

This year’s fair showcased advanced demonstrations and discussions on Generative AI, Agentic AI, and Cloud Computing. Keynote speakers included:

• Sitoyo Lopokoiyit, Managing Director, M-PESA Africa
• Jonas Kjellberg, Co-Creator of Skype
• Dr. Shivagami Gugan, Chief Technologist, AWS (Middle East, Turkey & Africa)

Masterclasses were delivered by McKinsey & Company, Huawei, Check Point, and Microsoft, offering participants expert insights into cybersecurity, disruptive technologies, and advanced cloud solutions.

Interactive panel sessions moderated by Zain Asher, CNN Anchor, featured leading industry experts including Adaora Nwodo (NexaScale), Aisha Tofa (Startup Kano), Iyinoluwa Aboyeji (Future Africa), Dr. Stanley Jacob (FINTECHNGR), and Bradwin Roper (JUMO), among others. The event also featured a musical performance by Nigerian artiste Spyro.

Zenith Bank’s Awards and Milestones

Zenith Bank’s strong performance continues to earn recognition across the global financial industry. The Bank was recently ranked as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital for the 16th consecutive year in The Banker’s 2025 Top 1000 World Banks. It was also named Nigeria’s Best Bank at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025.

The Bank has received numerous other awards, including multiple Bank of the Year honours from The Banker, BusinessDay BAFI Awards, ThisDay, and New Telegraph. It has also been recognised for excellence in corporate governance, sustainability, digital innovation, retail banking, and financial inclusion.

Commitment to Innovation

The 2025 Zenith Tech Fair reinforces Zenith Bank’s commitment to building a strong technological ecosystem in Africa. By providing capital, mentorship, and a platform for visibility, the Bank continues to empower emerging innovators to scale their solutions and achieve global impact.