Zenith Tech Fair 4.0 Concludes with Hackathon Winners Awarded ₦77.5M in Cash Prizes

Zenith Tech Fair 4.0 Concludes with Hackathon Winners Awarded ₦77.5M in Cash Prizes

The Fourth Edition of the Zenith Bank organized Zenith Tech Fair, themed “Future Forward 4.0: Embedded Finance, Cybersecurity & Growth Imperatives – The Impact of AI,” concluded on Thursday, November 21, 2024, at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. The event culminated in a highly competitive hackathon, where 10 finalists emerged from over 1,700 contestants to share a total prize pool of ₦77.5 million.

Hackathon Highlights and Winners

Grand Prize Winner: JumpnPass, a self-checkout technology transforming Africa’s retail sector, claimed the top prize of ₦25 million. In addition, they earned a six-week mentorship and incubation program running from December 2024 to February 2025.

First Runner-Up: CreditChek, leveraging AI and open banking for income and credit history verification, secured ₦20 million alongside a mentorship program.

Second Runner-Up: Salad Africa, which integrates credit products for digital platforms, won ₦15 million and mentorship support.

Other Finalists: Regxta, CashAfrica, Middleman, Messenger, Pocketfood, Famasi Africa, and Kitovu each received ₦2.5 million.

Zenith Bank’s Commitment to Innovation

In her welcome address, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, praised Founder and Chairman Dr. Jim Ovia, CFR, for his vision in establishing the Zenith Tech Fair. She emphasized the importance of nurturing young innovators, stating,

 “This initiative aims to produce the likes of Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Steve Jobs. With 70% of Nigeria’s population being youth, this economic asset must be harnessed effectively.”

 

Dr. Umeoji highlighted innovation as a critical driver for sustaining institutions, stressing that companies failing to innovate risk obsolescence.

Lagos State Governor Advocates Global Business Outlook

His Excellency, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State, underscored the importance of global competitiveness, stating, “We must enhance our products and services to serve not just local but global markets. Platforms like Zenith Tech Fair reassure us of the government’s readiness to support innovative ideas.”

 

Event Features and Presentations

The fair launched Zenith Bank’s EazyByZenith, a digital wallet aimed at driving financial inclusion. It also showcased cutting-edge advancements in Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, and Financial Intelligence.

Keynote Speaker: Robin Speculand, a global authority on digital strategy, delivered a keynote address titled “Banking Transformation in a Digital World.”

Panel Discussions: Led by Wole Odeyele from Microsoft Inc., the panel featured top industry experts such as Funke Opeke, Dr. Auwal Adam Sa’ad, and Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote.

Zenith Bank Startup Pitch Competition

The Zenith Bank startup pitch competition fosters innovation across sectors like Embedded Finance, HealthTech, Agritech, and Fintech. The program provides Nigerian startups a platform to showcase groundbreaking ideas and access resources to scale their businesses.

The Zenith Tech Fair 4.0 was hailed as a resounding success, setting the stage for an even bigger Fifth Edition in 2025.