By Ayomide Otitoju
The fourth edition of the Zenith Tech Fair concluded on Thursday, awarding a total of ₦77.5 million in prize money to 10 outstanding contestants in its hackathon session. Held under the theme, “Future Forward 4.0: Embedded Finance, Cybersecurity & Growth Imperatives – The Impact of AI,” the event showcased groundbreaking solutions and highlighted the role of technology in transforming industries.
Out of over 1,700 participants, JumpnPass, a self-checkout technology solution, emerged as the overall winner, taking home the grand prize of ₦25 million. In addition to the cash prize, JumpnPass secured a six-week mentorship and incubation program designed to help scale and grow the solution effectively. The program will run from December 2024 to February 2025.
The first runner-up, CreditChek, an AI-powered credit and verification service provider, won ₦20 million and access to mentorship. The second runner-up, Salad Africa, a startup offering seamless integration of credit products for digital platforms, received ₦15 million alongside a mentorship program.
Other finalists—Regxta, CashAfrica, Middleman, Messenger, Pocketfood, Famasi Africa, and Kitovu—each won ₦2.5 million, underscoring Zenith Bank’s commitment to fostering innovation and supporting Nigerian startups.
Promoting Innovation and Youth Development
In her opening remarks, Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Adaora Umeoji, expressed gratitude to the bank’s founder and chairman, Dr. Jim Ovia, for establishing the Tech Fair initiative.
“This prestigious event was created to empower and nurture young fertile minds,” Umeoji said. “We hope to produce the likes of Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, and Elon Musk from the Zenith Bank Hackathons in the near future.”
She emphasized the importance of leveraging Nigeria’s youth population, which accounts for 70% of the nation’s demographic, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. “Their success fosters innovation, creates employment opportunities, and drives economic growth,” she added.
A Call for Global Vision and Innovation
In his goodwill message, Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, called for Nigerian entrepreneurs to adopt a global perspective in their business strategies.
“We can’t continue to act locally; we need to think globally. Platforms like the Zenith Tech Fair reassure us of the readiness to create an enabling environment for ideas and innovation,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The tech fair also featured the unveiling of Zenith Bank’s new digital wallet, EazyByZenith, which supports the bank’s retail and financial inclusion strategy.
Insights from Industry Leaders
The event included cutting-edge presentations on technological advancements, including AI, cybersecurity, financial intelligence, and cloud computing. Renowned Strategy and Digital Implementation Specialist, Lord Robin Speculand, delivered the keynote address titled “Banking Transformation in a Digital World.”
Goodwill messages were delivered by Dr. Jim Ovia, Zenith Bank Founder and Chairman, and Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by Dr. Tope Fasua, Special Adviser to the Presidency on Economic Matters.
Looking Ahead
Zenith Bank’s Tech Fair continues to set the standard for promoting technological innovation in Nigeria, with expectations for an even more impactful fifth edition. The initiative not only supports startups but also drives economic transformation through technology.
