Wema Bank Launches Hackaholics Accelerator 2026 Cohort With Ten Startups

Wema Bank, Nigeria’s most revolutionary financial institution and the pioneer of Africa’s first absolutely digital financial institution, ALAT, has launched the 2026 Hackaholics Accelerator Program, welcoming ten startups into the cohort. The Hackaholics Accelerator, a selective progress program beneath Wema Bank’s Hackaholics platform, is designed to assist promising Nigerian startups strengthen their enterprise foundations and put together for sustainable scale and funding.

After six years of driving innovation by means of Hackaholics, Wema Bank is extending its help past ideation and competitors into hands-on startup constructing by means of Hackaholics Accelerator. The initiative supplies founders with the construction, mentorship, and ecosystem entry they should flip robust concepts into viable, scalable companies.

The 2026 cohort includes ten startups in complete, drawn from the highest 10 performing finalists from Hackaholics 6.0. The startups embrace Farmslate, Ploy, Stocmed, Feest (Chao), Varsityscape, MamaAlert, Sane, Cyclex, Kieva, and Loocomo.

Commenting on the evolution of Hackaholics and the second version of its Accelerator program, MD/CEO of Wema Bank, Moruf Oseni, mentioned it displays the Financial institution’s dedication to supporting founders past ideation and serving to promising improvements develop into sustainable companies.

“Over the previous six years, Hackaholics has grown into greater than a contest; it has change into a platform that reveals the depth of innovation and entrepreneurial potential that exists throughout Nigeria,” Oseni mentioned. “With this second version of Hackaholics Accelerator, we’re taking the following step by supporting founders past the ideation stage and into the method of constructing sustainable companies. The startups chosen for this cohort signify a few of the most promising options rising from the Hackaholics ecosystem, and we’re dedicated to serving to them refine their fashions, strengthen their foundations, and scale their influence.”

Talking on the ten startups chosen for the cohort, Babatunde Mumuni, Chief Transformation Officer, Wema Bank, added that the Accelerator will information founders by means of a structured course of to strengthen their companies and put together them for sustainable progress.

“The startups chosen for this cohort have already got robust foundations, with merchandise already in market, early traction, and clear potential for progress,” Mumuni mentioned. “Every of the chosen startups brings a novel answer to actual challenges throughout completely different sectors. What Hackaholics Accelerator supplies is the surroundings to strengthen these foundations by means of hands-on mentorship, strategic steerage, and entry to the best networks. Over the course of this system, we are going to work intently with these founders to refine their fashions, deepen market traction, and put together them for sustainable scale.”

All 10 startup founders will endure a sequence of coaching periods led by trade specialists throughout key areas essential to startup progress. Facilitators for the programme embrace the Chief Transformation Officer, Company Transformation & Innovation, Wema Bank, Babatunde Mumuni; Head, Technique & Investor Relations, Wema Bank, Femi Akinfolarin; Head, Information Transformation, Wema Bank, Olamide Jolaoso; and Staff Lead, Company Social Funding, Wema Bank, Oluwatoyin Adetunji.

Different facilitators embrace the Managing Director, Affect Hub Lagos, Idowu Akinde; Managing Director, B4B Companions, Napa Onwusa; Startup Advisor and Scout, Onaopemipo Dara; Mentor at Google for Startups, Rosemond Phil-Othihiwa; Head of Progress, Africhange, Tega Ogigirigi; and Startup Advisor and Mentor, Ademola Adewuyi.

Hackaholics Accelerator is supported by Wema Bank’s broader innovation infrastructure, together with IDEAx Labs, the Financial institution’s innovation and enterprise platform, and its company enterprise programme, which focuses on enabling startup progress by means of partnerships, infrastructure, and capital entry.

Since its launch in 2019, Hackaholics has grown into considered one of Nigeria’s most influential youth innovation platforms, attracting over 15,000 candidates and supporting lots of of digital options throughout a number of industries. By way of the Hackaholics initiative, Wema Bank has disbursed over $400,000 in funding to younger innovators and startup founders throughout Nigeria. Startups akin to Feegor, Myitura, and Bunce are amongst people who have participated in earlier editions of this system, reflecting the Accelerator’s give attention to supporting growth-ready corporations throughout various sectors. This second version builds on that progress by serving to startups transfer decisively from innovation to progress.