Niteon, Acceede, MamaAlert, Eight Others Secure N300m Grant from Wema Bank

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Grants worth N300 million have been given to 11 Nigerian startups by Wema Bank Plc at its Hackaholics 7.0, held in Lagos on Saturday, November 7, 2026.

The grant winners were among the 5,329 participants, who came up with 1,632 ideas and solutions across seven pitch centres in Nigeria.

Following the nationwide selection process, 59 participants emerged from the various centres, with 21 finalists advancing to the grand finale over the weekend.

The funding will support innovations ranging from AI-powered medical diagnostics and assistive technology for visually impaired people to sustainable building materials made from plastic waste and digital platforms connecting African farmers to international markets.

The N300 million enables the entrepreneurs to advance their innovations. Whether those solutions eventually become widely adopted products and sustainable businesses will depend on what happens beyond the competition.

The biggest award went to Tony Niteon Nwose, founder of Niteon, who received the N60 million grand prize for an agricultural technology platform connecting African farmers to processors, financial services and international markets. His solution addresses an important challenge in African agriculture: helping farmers access the financing, buyers and commercial opportunities needed to participate more profitably in agricultural value chains.

The competition also recognised entrepreneurs rethinking how everyday problems can be solved. Emmanuel Adeboje of Acceede received N40 million for his education-focused solution, while David Lawani of All-Arbitrates secured N20 million for a digital platform designed to make arbitration and dispute resolution more accessible and efficient.

For Kabir Olaosebikan, the opportunity lies in finding economic value in waste. His startup, Craft Planet, received N40 million for converting plastic waste into sustainable building materials. Samuel Ayomide Shonubi’s SocialSign secured N30 million for technology designed to improve communication and digital accessibility through sign language, while Oluwaseyi Whyte Akinlolu’s Harthio received N20 million for a mental wellness solution.

Artificial intelligence was another major feature of the winning innovations. Kelvin Nnadi’s Neural Forge received N30 million for an AI-powered medical diagnostic solution, while David Campbell’s Nexa AI secured N20 million for technology helping businesses better understand customer interactions and identify growth opportunities. Uti Henry’s Vhorde received N10 million for IRIS, AI-powered smart glasses designed to help visually impaired people navigate their surroundings more independently.

Women-led startups also secured funding for solutions addressing healthcare access and business growth. Zainab Boluwatife Adeagbo’s MamaAlert received N20 million for its digital healthcare solution focused on improving women’s access to timely healthcare services, while Precious Zino’s URI secured N10 million for an AI-powered marketing platform helping businesses improve customer engagement and digital visibility.