By Ayomide Otitoju
Wema Bank has launched the 2026 cohort of its Hackaholics Accelerator Programme, admitting ten Nigerian startups into the growth-focused initiative designed to strengthen business foundations and prepare emerging companies for sustainable scale and investment.
The Hackaholics Accelerator, a selective growth programme under the bank’s Hackaholics innovation platform, supports promising startups with mentorship, structured training, and access to a wider entrepreneurial ecosystem. The programme builds on the success of the Hackaholics initiative, which has spent six years driving innovation and digital entrepreneurship across Nigeria.
Through the accelerator, the bank aims to move beyond ideation and competition to hands-on startup development, providing founders with the support needed to transform innovative ideas into viable and scalable businesses.
The 2026 cohort consists of ten startups selected from the top-performing finalists of Hackaholics 6.0. They include Farmslate, Ploy, Stocmed, Feest (Chao), Varsityscape, MamaAlert, Sane, Cyclex, Kieva and Loocomo.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Wema Bank, Moruf Oseni, said the accelerator reflects the bank’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurs beyond the idea stage and helping them build sustainable companies.
“Over the past six years, Hackaholics has grown into more than a competition; it has become a platform that reveals the depth of innovation and entrepreneurial potential that exists across Nigeria,” Oseni said. “With this second edition of Hackaholics Accelerator, we are taking the next step by supporting founders beyond the ideation stage and into the process of building sustainable businesses.”
He added that the selected startups represent some of the most promising solutions emerging from the Hackaholics ecosystem, and the bank remains committed to helping them refine their models, strengthen their foundations and expand their impact.
Chief Transformation Officer of Wema Bank, Babatunde Mumuni, noted that the accelerator would guide founders through a structured programme aimed at improving their business models and preparing them for long-term growth.
According to him, the selected startups already have products in the market, early customer traction and clear potential for expansion across various sectors.
“What Hackaholics Accelerator provides is the environment to strengthen those foundations through hands-on mentorship, strategic guidance and access to the right networks,” Mumuni said.
Participants in the programme will undergo a series of training sessions facilitated by industry experts, including Wema Bank executives such as Mumuni, Head of Strategy and Investor Relations Femi Akinfolarin, Head of Data Transformation Olamide Jolaoso, and Team Lead, Corporate Social Investment Oluwatoyin Adetunji.
External facilitators include Managing Director of Impact Hub Lagos Idowu Akinde; Managing Director of B4B Partners Napa Onwusa; startup advisor Onaopemipo Dara; mentor at Google for Startups Rosemond Phil-Othihiwa; Head of Growth at Africhange Tega Ogigirigi; and startup advisor Ademola Adewuyi.
The accelerator is supported by the bank’s broader innovation infrastructure, including IDEAx Labs, its innovation and venture platform, as well as a corporate venture programme focused on enabling startup growth through partnerships, infrastructure and access to capital.
Since its launch in 2019, the Hackaholics initiative has attracted more than 15,000 applicants and supported hundreds of digital solutions across multiple industries. Wema Bank has also disbursed over $400,000 in funding to young innovators and startup founders through the platform.
Startups such as Feegor, Myitura and Bunce have previously participated in the programme, highlighting its role in nurturing growth-ready companies across Nigeria’s evolving innovation ecosystem. The 2026 accelerator cohort is expected to build on that progress by helping startups transition from innovation to sustained growth.
