Nigeria’s vibrant tech landscape thrives on decisive private sector intervention and renewed government resolve. Zenith Bank’s annual Tech Fair embodies this spirit, showcasing the nation’s immense digital talent and potential and creating a platform for innovators to achieve global scalability and impact.

Zenith Bank’s Tech Fair 5.0

The fifth edition of the Zenith Tech Fair, “Future Forward 5.0,” celebrated technological excellence and innovation. The event took place on Thursday, November 20, 2025, at the Eko Convention Centre in Lagos. Its theme, “Tech for Success – Innovate, Adapt, Accelerate,” underscored the urgent speed of human progress. 

Zenith Bank’s Founder and Chairman, Dr. Jim Ovia, CFR, created the Tech Fair initiative with visionary foresight.

This 2025 edition saw an expanded, dual-competition structure, called Zecathon. It included a high-stakes hackathon for product development and a startup pitch competition for early-stage ventures. Participation drew thousands of developers, founders, and entrepreneurs from across Africa. Over 2,000 contestants competed in the Zecathon alone. Zenith Bank awarded a staggering total cash prize of ₦140 million to ten African innovators.

Two major winners each clinched the top prize of ₦30 million. Trust Loop, the Hackathon winner, presented an innovative solution that delivers seamless digital KYC and liveness verification. Cubbes Technologies Limited, the startup pitch winner, secured the top spot for its revolutionary AI-powered edTech platform. This edTech tool enhances learning and career readiness. The remaining eight finalists across both categories received ₦10 million in non-dilutive funding each. All ten finalists will receive a six-week mentorship and incubation program. This critical post-award support will run from December 2025 to February 2026.

Zenith Bank Tech Fairs over the years

Zenith Bank views its Tech Fair as essential for empowering youth through technology. The bank actively supports tech startup development. Their ultimate goal is to produce future leaders like Bill Gates or Jeff Bezos. A review of the fairs over the years shows a consistent commitment to increasing monetary rewards and fostering sophisticated solutions.

For example, the third edition, “Future Forward 3.0,” took place in November 2023. Sync, a team collaboration and workflow management platform providing synergy, project management, and scheduling, emerged as the overall winner. Sync took home the grand prize of ₦20 million.

By the fourth edition in 2024, the total prize money escalated to ₦77.5 million. JumpnPass, a self-checkout technology solution, claimed the grand prize of ₦25 million.

A look at the Nigerian tech ecosystem

Nigeria remains home to Africa’s largest startup ecosystem. Lagos specifically functions as a regional tech hub. It has produced global successes like Flutterwave and Paystack. Venture capital activity has grown steadily over the past decade. The private sector, exemplified by institutions like Zenith Bank, clearly bets on technology as the engine for the future. Zenith Bank specifically links youth development and innovation to creating essential employment opportunities.

However, the ecosystem faces challenges. Rising inflation and regulatory uncertainty have raised concerns among investors. Nigeria also now faces increasing competition as other African countries accelerate their own innovation ecosystems.

Government action and promise

It’s pleasing to see that in recent times, Government officials recognise the immense promise of the tech sector. They see innovation as critical for national development. Representatives stressed that Nigeria can no longer be a passive observer in global technological transitions. Officials align these efforts with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda concerning digital transformation. Nigeria missed the first three industrial revolutions, reinforcing the urgency to lead the fourth.

Private institutions are most commonly the drivers of global technological exploration and advancement. However, the government has shown renewed commitment to strengthening the ecosystem. 

This commitment for instance, includes Nigeria announcing plans to expand startup funding through the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) programme. Launched in 2023, the iDICE programme was created to support the growth of the country’s tech and creative industries. It has backing from institutions like the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Bank of Industry (BOI), alongside Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB). 

The Ministry of Youth Development actively promotes digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and startup incubation. They also support policies ensuring young Nigerians are included in digital economy opportunities. In a move demonstrating commitment to emerging fields, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) established new departments. These new departments specifically focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI), space robotics, and space enterprise initiatives, aiming to transform emerging ideas into market-ready solutions.

Collaboration is central to this projected growth. Innovation only thrives when government, private institutions, academic bodies, and development organizations work together. Lagos state Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu continually endorses these efforts. He articulated a vision to make Lagos the world’s human capital center for tech expertise. 

This dual commitment comprising private capital driving immediate results and government policy building foundational structures is critical. It functions like a well-engineered railway system; private trains deliver vital goods quickly, while government tracks ensure smooth, long-term national connectivity.