Zenith Bank Awards N190 Million to 13 Innovators at 2026 Tech Fair

Zenith Bank Plc has awarded N190 million to 13 winners at its 2026 Tech Fair as part of efforts to support technology startups, encourage entrepreneurship and accelerate the development of digital solutions across Nigeria.

The winners emerged from more than 3,000 submissions across three competitions, with innovations spanning construction, financial technology, healthcare and education.

The sixth edition of the annual event, held virtually on Thursday, November 5, 2026, focused on the growing influence of artificial intelligence on businesses and economic development.

The N190 million prize pool represents the largest amount awarded since the technology fair was introduced.

In the Hackathon competition, Team Solo received the N35 million grand prize, while 10x Brains secured N20 million for second place.

Rumour Hunters received N15 million for third place, while Òmìnira and Team Avera received N10 million each.

Cutstruct Technology Limited emerged winner of the Startup Pitch Competition, securing N35 million for its LiveVend platform, which connects construction companies and contractors with suppliers of building materials.

Sproutly received N20 million for its financial technology solution designed to simplify school payments, while PharmaRun secured N15 million for its platform connecting customers with pharmacies to improve access to medicines.

AUI BRAND and ProDevs received N10 million each, completing the five winners in the startup category.

The bank also introduced the Future Innovators Challenge to encourage secondary school students to develop technology-driven solutions.

Caleb British International School won the category and received N5 million for ReLearn, a platform designed to redistribute used textbooks to students who need affordable learning materials.

Queen of the Rosary College, Onitsha, secured N3 million for second place, while Regina Pacis International School received N2 million for third place.

Beyond the cash awards, the winners will participate in a six-week mentorship and incubation programme intended to strengthen their business models and support the development of their products.

Speaking at the event, Zenith Bank founder Jim Ovia emphasised the importance of providing young innovators with opportunities to develop technologies capable of competing internationally.

The bank’s Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Adaora Umeoji, also highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence in economic development and urged African entrepreneurs to participate actively in the emerging technology industry.

She pointed to the bank’s investments in digital banking infrastructure, including its Zenith Intelligent Virtual Assistant, and the development of the SMART AfCFTA Portal by its fintech subsidiary, FinoPay, to support trade across Africa.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu commended the bank’s contribution to the technology ecosystem and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to supporting innovation.

The event also featured Zach Kass, former Head of Go-to-Market at OpenAI, who discussed the implications of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems for businesses and society.

Other participants included executives from Google, the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System, NIGCOMSAT and the National Information Technology Development Agency.

For Nigeria’s technology sector, the competition provides early-stage businesses with funding at a time when access to capital remains a significant challenge for entrepreneurs.

However, the longer-term value of the initiative will depend on whether the winning companies can convert their innovations into commercially viable products, attract customers and expand their operations.

The combination of financial awards and business mentorship could help some participants move beyond product development into sustainable operations, although the bank has not disclosed specific revenue or employment targets for the winning businesses.