Zenith Bank Plc has rewarded 13 outstanding innovators with a total of ₦190 million at the sixth edition of its flagship technology event, Zenith Tech Fair 2026, themed Future Forward 6.0. The initiative reinforces the bank’s commitment to promoting innovation, advancing digital technology and empowering the next generation of African technology leaders.
The event, which was held virtually for the first time on Thursday, November 5, 2026, featured the theme, “AI: Embrace or Extinct.” It brought together technology experts, entrepreneurs, innovators, policymakers and other participants from across the world to discuss the growing influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its impact on businesses, economies and society.
The ₦190 million prize pool represents the largest financial reward in the history of the Zenith Tech Fair, highlighting the bank’s increasing investment in technology development and innovation. The 2026 edition featured three major competitions: the Hackathon, Startup Pitch Competition and the newly introduced Future Innovators Challenge, which collectively attracted more than 3,000 entries from developers, entrepreneurs and secondary school students.
In the Hackathon category, Team Solo emerged as the overall winner, receiving ₦35 million, while 10x Brains came second with ₦20 million. Rumour Hunters secured third place and received ₦15 million, while Òmìnira and Team Avera finished fourth and fifth, respectively, taking home ₦10 million each.
Similarly, Cutstruct Technology Limited emerged winner of the Startup Pitch Competition with a prize of ₦35 million. Sproutly secured second position with ₦20 million, while PharmaRun came third with ₦15 million. AUI BRAND and ProDevs completed the top five, receiving ₦10 million each.
The newly introduced Future Innovators Challenge was designed to encourage creativity, technological innovation and problem-solving among secondary school students. Caleb British International School emerged as the overall winner, receiving ₦5 million, while Queen of the Rosary College, Onitsha, came second with ₦3 million. Regina Pacis International School secured third position with a prize of ₦2 million.
Some of the winning innovations are already providing practical solutions to challenges across different sectors. Cutstruct Technology Limited developed LiveVend, a platform that connects property developers and contractors with suppliers to simplify construction procurement. Sproutly uses financial technology to make school payment processes easier, while PharmaRun improves access to genuine medications through its network of pharmacies.
Also, Caleb British International School’s ReLearn platform, which won the Future Innovators Challenge, focuses on redistributing used textbooks to students in underserved communities, making educational materials more affordable and accessible.
Beyond the financial rewards, the winning participants will benefit from a six-week mentorship and incubation programme. The programme will provide professional guidance and practical support to help them improve their solutions, strengthen their business models and expand their innovations.
Speaking during the event, the Founder of Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, CFR, reaffirmed his commitment to empowering young people through technology and creating opportunities for African innovators to achieve global recognition.
Ovia said his vision was to continue supporting young people through technology, expressing hope that the initiative would produce individuals capable of making global impacts similar to those of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos.
In her opening remarks, the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank, Dame Dr Adaora Umeoji, OON, stressed the importance of embracing Artificial Intelligence and adapting to the rapidly changing global technology environment.
She explained that the bank’s commitment to innovation was reflected in its investments in digital infrastructure, products and services, including its Zenith Intelligent Virtual Assistant (ZIVA). She also highlighted the contributions of the bank’s fintech subsidiary, FinoPay, in developing the SMART AfCFTA Portal to support and facilitate trade across African countries.
Umeoji maintained that Africa has the potential to become a major force in the global AI industry, expressing confidence that the continent could produce the next generation of leading artificial intelligence innovators.
She encouraged participants not to be intimidated by emerging technologies but to embrace them and develop solutions capable of addressing challenges in agriculture, healthcare, education and manufacturing. She also urged innovators to think ambitiously, build responsibly and create solutions that can be expanded to reach more people.
The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, also commended Zenith Bank for its contributions to technological advancement and the development of innovative solutions.
Sanwo-Olu noted that the bank had consistently supported innovation through technology, helping to improve business operations and raise standards across the banking industry and the wider business community.
He further reaffirmed the Lagos State Government’s commitment to strengthening the technology ecosystem by creating opportunities for innovators and ensuring that the state remains a leading destination for technological development.
Similarly, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, SAN, represented by the Director-General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Professor Matthew Adepoju, praised Zenith Bank for investing in technology and youth empowerment.
He emphasised the importance of collaboration between government and private-sector organisations, noting that partnerships were essential to transforming innovative ideas into commercial products, businesses and employment opportunities.
The event also featured technology experts and industry leaders who shared insights on the future of artificial intelligence and digital transformation. The keynote address was delivered by Zach Kass, former Head of Go-to-Market at OpenAI, who examined the evolution of AI and the growing development of autonomous agents.
Kass challenged participants to consider the importance of human judgement, values and decision-making in a world increasingly influenced by automation. He stressed the need for society to determine which responsibilities should remain in human hands and which could appropriately be handled by technology.
Other speakers included Mike Ogbalu III, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS); Deniz Oran, Head of Payment Partnerships for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Google; Jane Egerton-Idehen, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT); Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA); and Chinwe Uzoho, Regional Managing Director for West Africa at Network International.
The sessions were moderated by CNN correspondent Victoria Rubadiri alongside other industry professionals.
Conceived by the bank’s Founder, Jim Ovia, the Zenith Tech Fair was established to empower young Nigerians through technology and encourage the development of innovative solutions with international relevance. Over the years, the platform has grown into an avenue for connecting promising ideas with funding, mentorship, investment opportunities and industry exposure.
Previous beneficiaries of the initiative have also developed technology solutions serving different sectors. They include JumpnPass, which introduced a self-checkout solution for retail businesses; CreditChek, which uses artificial intelligence and open banking to simplify credit verification; TrustLoop, winner of the 2025 Hackathon with its digital identity verification solution; and Cubbes Technologies Limited, winner of the 2025 Startup Pitch Competition with its AI-powered educational technology platform.
With the introduction of the Future Innovators Challenge, Zenith Bank has further expanded its support for young talents by extending the competition to secondary school students. The initiative reflects the bank’s recognition of the importance of identifying and developing technology skills from an early age.
Through the annual Tech Fair and its wider digital transformation initiatives, Zenith Bank continues to support entrepreneurs, technology developers and emerging businesses with the funding, mentorship and opportunities required to transform innovative ideas into practical solutions capable of contributing to Africa’s digital economy.
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