Ecobank InnovateX Challenge Empowers Youth to Transform Passion into Scalable Impact – Adeleke

Winners Take Home ₦20 Million in prizes
Kola Adeleke, Executive Director of Commercial and Consumer Banking at Ecobank Nigeria, has acknowledged that the InnovateX Challenge was created to empower and equip younger individuals to rework their passions into scalable options for nationwide growth.

Speaking on the grand finale of the competitors, held on the Ecobank Pan African Centre (EPAC) in Lagos, Adeleke emphasised that, as a pan-African {bank}, InnovateX is a pivotal initiative aimed toward shaping the following era of changemakers and {economic} contributors.

“At Ecobank, we are committed to investing in the future of our youth and shaping a brighter future for Nigeria,” Adeleke mentioned. “InnovateX aligns perfectly with this vision. We provide digital solutions, products, and services designed for convenience and accessibility, enabling young people to manage their finances anytime, anywhere — especially via mobile, their primary channel of engagement.”

InnovateX, a collaboration between Ecobank and Heave Ventures, was established to showcase daring and transformative concepts from Nigerians aged 16 to 25 within the Creative and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) sectors.

Following weeks of purposes, bootcamps, and a public voting section, 18 finalists passionately pitched their ventures with readability and function. A complete of ₦20 million in prizes was awarded, alongside recognition and development alternatives.

In the inventive class, ISIO, Leadforge, and Zulana emerged as the highest winners, receiving ₦5 million, ₦2 million, and ₦1 million respectively. In the STEM class, Afrimetrics, Neighborly, and Feedipay claimed the highest three prizes of ₦5 million, ₦2 million, and ₦1 million respectively. Additionally, Stipple Care and Semita AI every acquired ₦500,000, whereas the remaining 10 contestants had been awarded ₦300,000 every.

Adeleke counseled the resilience of all individuals and inspired the winners to make use of their prize funds deliberately to scale their ventures and deepen their influence.

Abiodun Lawal, CEO of Heave Ventures, additionally spoke on the occasion, highlighting the problem’s function in empowering youth with sources, platforms, and perception of their potential.

“This is not simply a competition,” Lawal remarked. “It’s a celebration of vision, courage, and the vibrant potential of Nigeria’s youth. Congratulations to all finalists and winners — your passion lit up the stage and, with purposeful action, will help shape the future.”

Participants praised Ecobank and Heave Ventures, urging different company organizations to duplicate such impactful applications. Micah Erumaka, CEO of Afrimetrics and first-place winner within the STEM class, expressed gratitude: “Ecobank has truly shown it cares about Nigerian youth. This fund will enable me to expand my business and create jobs.”

Ecobank continues to champion youth growth by means of numerous initiatives. Recently, it partnered with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to coach and help 16,000 Nigerian youths in agricultural wealth creation. The {bank} has additionally collaborated with EStars, an academic esports platform, to advance esports training in Nigeria, in addition to with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Code 14 Labs, Learntor, AFC, Soto Gallery, and different organizations on a number of youth-focused applications.

About Ecobank Nigeria

Ecobank Nigeria is a member of the Ecobank Group, the main pan-African banking group working in 33 African international locations, with worldwide workplaces in London, Paris, Beijing, and Dubai. With over 250 branches, round 50,000 company banking places, and sturdy digital platforms, Ecobank supplies reasonably priced, accessible, and immediate banking providers. It is strategically positioned to help Pan-African commerce, significantly underneath the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) initiative.