Eleven Nigerian startups developing innovative solutions across agriculture, healthcare, artificial intelligence, education and other critical sectors have secured a combined ₦300 million in funding at the seventh edition of Wema Bank’s Hackaholics innovation competition.
The winners were announced at the grand finale, themed Festival of the Future, held in Lagos on 6 November 2026. The funding will support the development and expansion of technologies addressing practical challenges, including AI-powered medical diagnostics, assistive technology for visually impaired people, sustainable building materials made from plastic waste and digital platforms connecting African farmers to international markets.
The competition’s biggest prize went to Tony Niteon Nwose, founder of Niteon, who received the ₦60 million grand prize for developing an agricultural technology platform that connects African farmers with processors, financial services and international markets.
His solution targets a longstanding challenge in the agricultural sector by improving farmers’ access to financing, buyers and commercial opportunities, helping them participate more effectively in agricultural value chains.
Other winners are developing solutions to transform everyday services and business operations. Emmanuel Adeboje of Acceede received ₦40 million for his education-focused innovation, while David Lawani of All-Arbitrates secured ₦20 million for a digital platform designed to make arbitration and dispute resolution more accessible and efficient.
Sustainability also featured prominently among the winning innovations. Kabir Olaosebikan’s startup, Craft Planet, received ₦40 million for its solution that converts plastic waste into sustainable building materials.
Similarly, Samuel Ayomide Shonubi’s SocialSign secured ₦30 million for technology designed to improve communication and digital accessibility through sign language, while Oluwaseyi Whyte Akinlolu’s Harthio received ₦20 million for its mental wellness solution.
Artificial intelligence was another major theme among the successful startups. Kelvin Nnadi’s Neural Forge received ₦30 million for an AI-powered medical diagnostic solution, while David Campbell’s Nexa AI secured ₦20 million for technology that helps businesses analyse customer interactions and identify opportunities for growth.
Uti Henry’s Vhorde received ₦10 million for IRIS, a pair of AI-powered smart glasses designed to help visually impaired people navigate their surroundings with greater independence.
Women-led startups also secured funding for innovations addressing healthcare access and business development. Zainab Boluwatife Adeagbo’s MamaAlert received ₦20 million for a digital healthcare solution aimed at improving women's access to timely medical services.
Precious Zino’s URI secured ₦10 million for an AI-powered marketing platform designed to help businesses strengthen customer engagement and improve their digital visibility.
The 11 winning teams emerged from a competition that attracted 5,329 participants and generated 1,632 ideas and solutions across seven pitch centres in Nigeria. Following the nationwide selection process, 59 participants were selected from the various centres, with 21 finalists progressing to the grand finale.
Beyond the prize money and recognition, the competition highlights the growing importance of funding and institutional support in helping Nigerian startups turn promising ideas into commercially viable businesses.
For many founders, the real challenge begins after the pitch competition: developing products that can operate at scale, attracting paying customers, establishing sustainable business models and securing the resources required for long-term growth.
Access to funding can make a significant difference in this process. For agritech startups, it could strengthen the infrastructure needed to connect more farmers with buyers and international markets. For healthcare technology companies, it could accelerate product development, while accessibility-focused businesses could use the investment to reach more people who depend on their solutions.
For Wema Bank, the ₦300 million investment builds on an innovation programme that has expanded considerably since its introduction in 2019.
Over the years, Hackaholics has recorded more than 21,000 applicants, engaged over 50,000 participants, supported more than 10,000 startups across three countries and contributed to the development of over 100 solutions.
The diversity of innovations recognised at Hackaholics 7.0 also reflects the changing priorities of Nigeria’s technology ecosystem. Rather than focusing on a single industry, the winning startups are tackling challenges across agriculture, healthcare, education, business services and social inclusion, with artificial intelligence increasingly emerging as a tool for solving real-world problems.
The ₦300 million funding provides the successful entrepreneurs with an opportunity to advance their innovations beyond the competition. However, their long-term success will depend on their ability to translate the financial support into widely adopted products, sustainable businesses and measurable impact.
For Nigeria's technology ecosystem, the bigger story goes beyond the competition's winners. It is about what these entrepreneurs can build, the problems they can solve and the businesses they can create with the support they have received.
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