Wema Bank has launched Hackaholics Accelerator 2026 Cohort with ten startups.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that Wema Bank, Nigeria’s most innovative bank and the pioneer of Africa’s first fully digital bank, ALAT, has launched the 2026 Hackaholics Accelerator Program, welcoming ten startups into the cohort. The Hackaholics Accelerator, a selective growth program under Wema Bank’s Hackaholics platform, is designed to help promising Nigerian startups strengthen their business foundations and prepare for sustainable scale and investment.
After six years of driving innovation through Hackaholics, Wema Bank is extending its support beyond ideation and competition into hands-on startup building through Hackaholics Accelerator. The initiative provides founders with the structure, mentorship, and ecosystem access they need to turn strong ideas into viable, scalable businesses.
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The 2026 cohort comprises ten startups in total, drawn from the top 10 performing finalists from Hackaholics 6.0. The startups include Farmslate, Ploy, Stocmed, Feest (Chao), Varsityscape, MamaAlert, Sane, Cyclex, Kieva, and Loocomo.
Commenting on the evolution of Hackaholics and the second edition of its Accelerator program, MD/CEO of Wema Bank, Moruf Oseni, said it reflects the Bank’s commitment to supporting founders beyond ideation and helping promising innovations grow into sustainable businesses.
“Over the past six years, Hackaholics has grown into more than a competition; it has become a platform that reveals the depth of innovation and entrepreneurial potential that exists across Nigeria,” Oseni said. “With this second edition of Hackaholics Accelerator, we are taking the next step by supporting founders beyond the ideation stage and into the process of building sustainable businesses. The startups selected for this cohort represent some of the most promising solutions emerging from the Hackaholics ecosystem, and we are committed to helping them refine their models, strengthen their foundations, and scale their impact.”
Speaking on the ten startups selected for the cohort, Babatunde Mumuni, Chief Transformation Officer, Wema Bank, added that the Accelerator will guide founders through a structured process to strengthen their businesses and prepare them for sustainable growth.
“The startups selected for this cohort already have strong foundations, with products already in market, early traction, and clear potential for growth,” Mumuni said. “Each of the selected startups brings a unique solution to real challenges across different sectors. What Hackaholics Accelerator provides is the environment to strengthen those foundations through hands-on mentorship, strategic guidance, and access to the right networks. Over the course of the program, we will work closely with these founders to refine their models, deepen market traction, and prepare them for sustainable scale.”
All 10 startup founders will undergo a series of training sessions led by industry experts across key areas critical to startup growth. Facilitators for the programme include the Chief Transformation Officer, Corporate Transformation & Innovation, Wema Bank, Babatunde Mumuni; Head, Strategy & Investor Relations, Wema Bank, Femi Akinfolarin; Head, Data Transformation, Wema Bank, Olamide Jolaoso; and Team Lead, Corporate Social Investment, Wema Bank, Oluwatoyin Adetunji.
Other facilitators include the Managing Director, Impact Hub Lagos, Idowu Akinde; Managing Director, B4B Partners, Napa Onwusa; Startup Advisor and Scout, Onaopemipo Dara; Mentor at Google for Startups, Rosemond Phil-Othihiwa; Head of Growth, Africhange, Tega Ogigirigi; and Startup Advisor and Mentor, Ademola Adewuyi.
Hackaholics Accelerator is supported by Wema Bank’s broader innovation infrastructure, including IDEAx Labs, the Bank’s innovation and venture platform, and its corporate venture programme, which focuses on enabling startup growth through partnerships, infrastructure, and capital access.
Since its launch in 2019, Hackaholics has grown into one of Nigeria’s most influential youth innovation platforms, attracting over 15,000 applicants and supporting hundreds of digital solutions across multiple industries. Through the Hackaholics initiative, Wema Bank has disbursed over $400,000 in funding to young innovators and startup founders across Nigeria. Startups such as Feegor, Myitura, and Bunce are among those that have participated in previous editions of the program, reflecting the Accelerator’s focus on supporting growth-ready companies across diverse sectors. This second edition builds on that progress by helping startups move decisively from innovation to growth.
