Zenith Bank unveils Zecathon 6.0 with N190m prize pool

Zenith Bank Plc has unveiled the sixth edition of its flagship innovation and startup competition, Zecathon 6.0, with a total prize pool of N190 million.

The programme, delivered in partnership with Beyond Limits, expands the competition beyond its established Hackathon and Startup Pitch Competition by introducing the Zenith Future Innovators Challenge for senior secondary school students in Nigeria.

Zecathon 6.0 is designed to support developers, entrepreneurs, startups and young innovators developing technology-driven solutions to challenges across Africa.

The competition will focus on areas including financial technology, agriculture, healthcare, education, insurance, retail and e-commerce, payments, lending, cybersecurity, transportation and logistics, among others.

N190m prize pool

The Hackathon and Startup Pitch Competition each carry the same prize structure.

In both categories, the winner will receive N35 million, while the second-place finalist will receive N20 million. Third place attracts N15 million, while the fourth- and fifth-place finalists will each receive N10 million.

The Future Innovators Challenge has a separate N10 million prize pool for the top three participating schools. The first-place school will receive N5 million, second place N3 million and third place N2 million.

The combined prizes across the three programmes bring the total Zecathon 6.0 prize pool to N190 million.

AI-focused hackathon

The Hackathon will challenge developers and innovators to develop solutions to real-world banking problems using artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.

The Startup Pitch Competition, meanwhile, targets growth-stage businesses with scalable products and solutions. The official programme says the 2026 edition will particularly highlight generative AI, agentic AI and other emerging technologies.

Zenith Bank Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dame Dr Adaora Umeoji, said the latest edition represents another step in the bank's efforts to support innovation and digital transformation across Africa.

She said the addition of the secondary-school challenge would bring younger innovators into the ecosystem and create opportunities for students, developers and founders to collaborate on solutions to emerging challenges.

Opportunity for secondary school students

The Future Innovators Challenge is open to senior secondary school students across Nigeria, with teams expected to develop practical solutions to pressing national problems.

Participating students will receive opportunities for virtual learning, mentorship and innovation training covering areas such as problem-solving, design thinking, collaboration and communication.

The challenge covers priority areas including financial inclusion, education, healthcare and agriculture, with additional emphasis on solutions capable of producing measurable social impact.

The programme's official timeline shows that applications opened on September 22 and close on October 13, 2026. Shortlisted teams are scheduled to participate in a virtual innovation showcase and bootcamp before the final presentation later in October.

Applications open

Startups and developers across Africa and senior secondary schools in Nigeria can apply free of charge before the October 13 deadline.

Zecathon 6.0 builds on the previous edition, Zecathon 5.0, which awarded N140 million in prizes. The bank says the expanded programme is intended to accelerate digital innovation while equipping young people with skills needed to participate in Africa's technology ecosystem.