Wema Bank Opens Applications for Hackaholics 2026

In Short

• Wema Bank has opened applications for Hackaholics 2026.
• The programme targets African startups, developers, designers, students, and social innovators.
• Selected teams can get funding, mentorship, partnerships, and growth support at no cost.

What Happened

Wema Bank has opened applications for Hackaholics 2026, its open innovation programme for African founders and builders. Hackaholics is positioned as a hackathon and startup support platform, meaning teams apply with ideas or early products, then get structured support to build and test them.

According to the programme site, participants can access funding and business growth support. They can also get expert mentorship, which is hands-on guidance from operators and specialists. Other benefits include strategic partnerships, market access, and visibility, which typically means introductions to potential customers, partners, and investors.

Wema Bank says the programme has evolved over seven years beyond a one-off hackathon into an ecosystem platform. It also highlights past headline metrics, including 21,000+ applicants, 50,000+ participants engaged, 10,000+ startups supported, and activity across three countries. The site also cites “$500M in funds disbursed” and “100+ solutions developed,” though it does not break down what types of funding those figures include.

Hackaholics also points to alumni examples such as Plumter, which it describes as a cross-border payments startup that later joined Y Combinator.

Why It Matters

For early-stage teams in Nigeria and across Africa, non-dilutive support, meaning capital and resources without giving up equity, is still scarce. Programmes like Hackaholics can reduce the cost of building, especially for technical founders who need cloud credits, mentorship, and distribution partners.

For Wema Bank, Hackaholics is also a pipeline into new products and partnerships in areas like fintech, SME services, and digital channels. It can help the bank spot teams to pilot solutions with, or support through accelerators, without waiting for later-stage venture funding.

Startups considering the programme should watch for details on selection criteria, timelines, and the exact funding structure, including whether it is grants, prizes, or commercial partnerships.