5th edition of Wema Bank tech competition now accepting entries

The 5th edition of Wema Bank‘s Hackaholics flagship tech competition for youth and startups is now accepting entries.

The registration portal for Hackaholics 5.0 was formally announced at a press conference held at Wema Bank’s headquarters on Thursday, April 18th, 2024.

It has been said that Wema Bank is allegedly going to great lengths to make this edition of Hackaholics 5.0 the most spectacular one yet. Hackaholics 5.0, with the theme “Meta-Idea: DigiTech Solutions for Africa’s Prosperity,” will take place over the course of six months.

It will visit ten universities around the nation and urge the youth to propose fresh, original, and practically applicable Digi-Tech ideas that can hasten development, progress, and prosperity in Nigeria and throughout Africa.

Read also: Wema Bank, NYSC to launch Youth Empowerment Initiative

The Impact of Wema Bank’s Hackaholics

Wema Bank launched Hackaholics in 2019 as an annual tech and innovation competition to help young Nigerians with tech-driven ideas get their businesses off the ground, grow, and reach a wider audience.

Thousands of Nigerians have benefited from Hackaholics’ four previous editions, which have taught young people with diverse interests how to start their own businesses, generate sustainable income, and stand out in the global innovation and technology arena. In only four editions of Hackaholics, Wema Bank has distributed over N150,000,000 in cash prizes, enabling a multitude of startups to launch and grow.

Wema Bank’s Chief Transformation Officer, Babatunde Mumuni, outlined the bank’s goals for Hackaholics and encouraged young people in Nigeria to use it as a springboard to achieve digital success.

He asserts that certain realities emerged with the establishment of ALAT. One of these was the necessity for exceptionally gifted individuals to spearhead the company’s commitment to digital excellence and innovation; thus, Hackaholics was born. The team is giving these young people the tools they need to scale with Hackaholics and investing in STEM education as a means to a better nation.

In addition to bolstering the nation’s capabilities, this move creates an environment where young people who are creative and innovative can flourish. As he pointed out, they are on the lookout for individuals who can think beyond the box, who can challenge themselves to improve things, and who are naturally inquisitive.

Why you should participate in this

According to Ololade Ogungbenro, the Divisional Head of Brands, People and Culture, who is promoting Hackaholics 5.0 as a career opportunity, Nigeria has a large and active youth population that is tech-savvy and eager to create practical, scalable, and long-lasting digital products. For their talents to flourish, all they require is a chance, a stage, and the correct supportive setting.

At the pitch sessions at each school, they noted that they have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to do double duty by giving these young people the tools they need to start their own businesses while still in college and by connecting them with top-notch job opportunities.

The career fairs they are planning will give people a chance to meet them, find out about the bank’s values and culture, and pursue open positions in the technology department, among other things.

In addition, they will have the opportunity to practise for interviews, improve their soft skills, and take advantage of speed mentoring and networking events. Therefore, the Hackaholics Career Fair should be your first and foremost objective if you are a young person intent on constructing a prosperous career in technology.

At the end of his speech, Solomon Ayodele, head of innovation at Wema Bank, said that this year’s Hackaholics 5.0 tech festival will be like Coachella for the tech industry. The grand prize this year is more than N70,000,000.

Thanks to Wema Bank’s Hackaholics programme, hundreds of startups have been launched successfully throughout Nigeria, improving the lives of thousands of people. No wonder Wema Bank is considered the most innovative bank in Nigeria; its influence is ever-expanding, particularly online.

If you are interested in participating in Hackaholics 5.0, you can register at https://hackaholics.wemabank.com/register.