The fourth edition of the Zenith Tech Fair, themed “Future Forward 4.0: Embedded Finance, Cybersecurity & Growth Imperatives – The Impact of AI,” concluded with 10 winners from the hackathon session sharing a prize pool of ₦77.5 million.
JumpnPass, a self-checkout technology solution, emerged as the overall winner, receiving ₦25 million and a six-week mentorship program aimed at scaling their innovation. CreditChek, leveraging AI for income and credit verification, won ₦20 million as the first runner-up, while Salad Africa, which integrates credit products for digital platforms, claimed ₦15 million as the second runner-up.
Other finalists, including Regxta, CashAfrica, Middleman, Messenger, Pocketfood, Famasi Africa, and Kitovu, each received ₦2.5 million.
### Empowering Young Innovators
Zenith Bank’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Adaora Umeoji, expressed gratitude to the founder and chairman, Jim Ovia, for initiating the Tech Fair five years ago. She highlighted the initiative’s goal of empowering young innovators and fostering technological growth in Nigeria.
“This annual event was created to nurture young minds. We hope to produce innovators like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Elon Musk through the Zenith Bank Hackathons,” she said.
She emphasized the critical role of innovation in creating enduring institutions, stating, “When companies fail to innovate, they risk being displaced. This is not the time to be orthodox; innovation should be a top priority.”
Goodwill Messages and Launch
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu called for global competitiveness, urging innovators to target international markets. He reiterated the government’s commitment to fostering an enabling environment for innovation.
The event also marked the launch of **EazyByZenith**, a digital wallet designed to advance the bank’s financial inclusion goals.
Renowned strategist Lord Robin Speculand delivered the keynote address, **“Banking Transformation in a Digital World,”** while goodwill messages came from Zenith Bank Founder Jim Ovia and Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by Dr. Tope Fasua.
Focus on Emerging Technologies
The fair showcased advancements in AI, cybersecurity, financial intelligence, cloud computing, and risk management, reaffirming Zenith Bank’s position at the forefront of technological innovation in Nigeria.
This annual initiative continues to foster growth, empower startups, and position Nigerian innovators on the global stage.
