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 a part of efforts to assist know-how startups, encourage entrepreneurship and speed up the event of digital options throughout Nigeria.

The winners emerged from greater than 3,000 submissions throughout three competitions, with improvements spanning building, monetary know-how, healthcare and schooling.

The sixth version of the annual occasion, held just about on Thursday, November 5, 2026, targeted on the rising affect of synthetic intelligence on companies and financial growth.

The N190 million prize pool represents the most important quantity awarded because the know-how honest was launched.

In the Hackathon competitors, Team Solo obtained the N35 million grand prize, whereas 10x Brains secured N20 million for second place.

Rumour Hunters obtained N15 million for third place, whereas Òmìnira and Team Avera obtained N10 million every.

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

Sproutly obtained N20 million for its monetary know-how resolution designed to simplify college funds, whereas PharmaRun secured N15 million for its platform connecting prospects with pharmacies to enhance entry to medicines.

AUI BRAND and ProDevs obtained N10 million every, finishing the 5 winners within the startup class.

The financial institution additionally launched the Future Innovators Challenge to encourage secondary college college students to develop technology-driven options.

Caleb British International School received the class and obtained N5 million for ReLearn, a platform designed to redistribute used textbooks to college students who want reasonably priced studying supplies.

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

Beyond the money awards, the winners will take part in a six-week mentorship and incubation programme meant to strengthen their enterprise fashions and assist the event of their merchandise.

Speaking on the occasion, Zenith Bank founder Jim Ovia emphasised the significance of offering younger innovators with alternatives to develop applied sciences able to competing internationally.

The financial institution’s Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Adaora Umeoji, additionally highlighted the rising function of synthetic intelligence in financial growth and urged African entrepreneurs to take part actively within the rising know-how business.

She pointed to the financial institution’s investments in digital banking infrastructure, together with its Zenith Intelligent Virtual Assistant, and the event of the SMART AfCFTA Portal by its fintech subsidiary, FinoPay, to assist commerce throughout Africa.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu recommended the financial institution’s contribution to the know-how ecosystem and reaffirmed the state authorities’s dedication to supporting innovation.

The occasion additionally featured Zach Kass, former Head of Go-to-Market at OpenAI, who mentioned the implications of synthetic intelligence and autonomous programs for companies and society.

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

For Nigeria’s know-how sector, the competitors gives early-stage companies with funding at a time when entry to capital stays a big problem for entrepreneurs.

However, the longer-term worth of the initiative will rely upon whether or not the successful firms can convert their improvements into commercially viable merchandise, entice prospects and increase their operations.

The mixture of monetary awards and enterprise mentorship may assist some individuals transfer past product growth into sustainable operations, though the financial institution has not disclosed particular income or employment targets for the successful companies.