Zenith Bank has opened applications for the sixth edition of its flagship innovation programme, ZECATHON 6.0, with a total cash prize pool of ₦190 million for startups, developers, innovators and senior secondary school students.
The 2026 edition, organised in partnership with Beyond Limits, features three major competitions: the Startup Pitch Competition, Hackathon and Zenith Future Innovators Challenge. Applications are free and close on October 13, 2026.
The Startup Pitch Competition is designed for growth-stage startups across Africa with scalable solutions in areas including fintech, AgriTech, HealthTech, ClimateTech and e-commerce.
The top five startups will receive cash prizes of ₦35 million for first place, ₦20 million for second, ₦15 million for third, while fourth and fifth-place finalists will receive ₦10 million each.
The ZECATHON Hackathon is targeted at developers, designers and innovators interested in creating technology-driven solutions to real-world banking and financial challenges. Participants are expected to explore artificial intelligence, Generative AI, Agentic AI and other emerging technologies.
The Hackathon also offers ₦90 million in total cash prizes, with the same ₦35 million, ₦20 million, ₦15 million, ₦10 million and ₦10 million structure for the top five teams. Applicants must participate as teams of 2–4 members.
A new addition this year is the Zenith Future Innovators Challenge, which gives senior secondary school students across Nigeria an opportunity to develop practical solutions to real-world problems.
Students must be enrolled in SS1, SS2 or SS3 and form teams of two to four students from the same school, with a teacher or designated school representative serving as the point of contact.
The Future Innovators Challenge has a ₦10 million prize pool, with ₦5 million for the winning school, ₦3 million for second place and ₦2 million for third place. Its focus areas include financial inclusion, education, healthcare, agriculture, and climate and environmental sustainability.
Interested applicants should visit the official ZECATHON 6.0 application portal, select the competition that matches their eligibility and follow the application instructions.
Application Deadline: October 13, 2026.
Applications are free, and participants are encouraged to submit their ideas before the deadline.
Apply through the official ZECATHON 6.0 portal: ZECATHON 6.0 Application Portal