Three Nigerian artificial intelligence start-ups have secured a combined ₦60 million in funding at the seventh edition of Wema Bank’s Hackaholics innovation programme, held on 6 November 2026 in Lagos, Nigeria. The winning solutions target healthcare, customer intelligence and accessibility for visually impaired people.
The three start-ups, Neural Forge, Nexa AI and Vhorde, were among the 11 winning teams that shared ₦300 million at Hackaholics 7.0, held under the theme Festival of the Future.
Neural Forge received ₦30 million for developing an AI-powered medical diagnostic solution, while Nexa AI secured ₦20 million for its AI-powered customer intelligence technology. Vhorde received ₦10 million for IRIS, its AI-enabled smart glasses designed to help visually impaired people navigate their surroundings independently.
Together, the three start-ups accounted for ₦60 million of the programme’s total prize allocation, highlighting the growing use of artificial intelligence to tackle practical challenges across sectors in Nigeria.
Neural Forge’s medical diagnostic solution applies artificial intelligence to healthcare, while Nexa AI is developing technology to support customer intelligence. Both solutions demonstrate AI’s potential to improve how organisations deliver services and make decisions.
Vhorde’s IRIS, meanwhile, takes a different approach by applying AI to assistive technology. The smart glasses are designed to help people with visual impairments navigate their environments more independently, positioning accessibility as another area where Nigerian innovators are exploring practical applications of artificial intelligence.
The awards form part of Wema Bank’s Hackaholics programme, which provides a platform for emerging innovators and technology entrepreneurs to develop solutions to real-world problems.
With ₦300 million distributed among 11 winning teams at its seventh edition, Hackaholics 7.0 continues to draw attention to Nigeria’s start-up ecosystem and the potential of home-grown technology solutions.
The combined ₦60 million awarded to Neural Forge, Nexa AI and Vhorde also underscores the diversity of Nigeria’s emerging AI innovation landscape, spanning medical technology, business intelligence and assistive solutions.
