Ten African innovators have received a combined ₦140 million to scale their transformative solutions following a competitive hackathon and pitch session at the Fifth Edition of the Zenith Tech Fair, held on Thursday, November 20, 2025, at the Eko Convention Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.
This year’s edition—“Future Forward 5.0: Tech for Success – Innovate, Adapt, Accelerate”—introduced an expanded dual-competition format featuring a high-stakes Hackathon and a Startup Pitch Competition. More than 2,000 developers, founders, and emerging ventures across Africa participated.
Two startups claimed the top honours, each winning ₦30 million. Trust Loop emerged winner of the Hackathon with its digital KYC and liveness-verification solution, while Cubbes Technologies Limited clinched the Startup Pitch category with its AI-driven EdTech platform focused on learning enhancement and career readiness.
The remaining eight finalists—Venille Ltd, Sowota, FLOW, InvoPay, Zenith Intelliscore, The Very Hacked Men, Konfam and Zerax—received ₦10 million each in non-dilutive funding. All winners will also undergo a six-week mentorship and incubation programme from December 2025 to February 2026.
In her opening address, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON, Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank, commended the Founder and Chairman, Dr. Jim Ovia, CFR, for his vision in establishing the Tech Fair. She noted that the accelerating pace of global innovation underscores the urgency for Africa to build and support new technology leaders.
Delivering his goodwill message, Dr. Jim Ovia reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to nurturing Africa’s next generation of entrepreneurs, expressing hope that the continent will one day produce global icons comparable to Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Jeff Bezos.
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, called for stronger youth-focused innovation initiatives, stressing Lagos’ ambition to become a global hub for technology talent by 2050.
The 2025 edition also featured keynote sessions on Generative AI, Agentic AI, and Cloud Computing by Sitoyo Lopokoiyit (M-PESA Africa), Jonas Kjellberg (Co-Creator, Skype) and Dr. Shivagami Gugan (AWS). Masterclasses were led by McKinsey & Company, Huawei, Check Point, and Microsoft, alongside panel discussions hosted by CNN’s Zain Asher and featuring leading voices in African technology and finance.
Zenith Bank’s sustained investment in technology and innovation reflects its broader track record of industry leadership. The Bank continues to win major local and international awards, including sixteen consecutive years as Nigeria’s Number One Bank by Tier-1 Capital in The Banker’s Top 1000 World Banks Rankings, as well as multiple recognitions for digital innovation, sustainability, governance, and retail excellence.
With the success of its fifth edition, the Zenith Tech Fair further cements the Bank’s position as a catalyst for Africa’s digital future—amplifying innovation, funding scalability, and positioning young African founders for global impact.
