Business
Wema Bank Rolls Out Hackaholics 7th Edition In Big Offer For Youth
Wema Bank, Nigeria’s oldest indigenous national bank, most innovative and pioneer of Africa’s first fully digital bank, ALAT, has announced the 7th edition of its flagship innovation initiative, Hackaholics.
The announcement was made at the official press conference which took place on July 1, 2026, at the Wema Bank Head Office in Lagos, Nigeria.
Launched in 2019, Hackaholics is Wema Bank’s youth and tech-focused initiative designed to serve as a platform for young Africans with creative, game changing, tech-driven ideas and products, to bring their ideas to life.
Since its launch, Hackaholics has discovered thousands of groundbreaking solutions, supported over 10,000 startups, engaged 50,000 participants, developed over 100 solutions from scratch and disbursed $500,000,000 in grant prizes to dozens of winners whose remarkable solutions have earned a top spot in the past 6 editions. With the launch of Hackaholics 7.0, Wema Bank is set to execute the biggest Hackaholics edition yet.
Themed “Powering Possibilities”, Hackaholics 7.0 will kick off with an open call for applications, calling on all young Africans with creative tech-driven solutions across any of the 7 verticals: Financial Inclusion, Healthcare, Digital Transformation, Education, Sustainability, Social Impact and Future of Work. Each application is to be made via the portal at hackaholics.wemabank.com, under one of three tracks: The Startup Pitch Competition, Hackathon and the newly introduced Social Impact track. Following the application window, Hackaholics 7.0 will then proceed on a national tour which will touch 10 pitch centres across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Each pitch centre will serve as a hub for innovators within the region to pitch their creative solutions and get the opportunity to secure the top spot in their pitch centre, and ultimately, proceed to the grand finale where the winners of Hackaholics 7.0 will be announced.
Speaking on the Bank’s inspiration behind Hackaholics’ exceptional seven-year journey, Wema Bank’s MD/CEO, Moruf Oseni, reiterated the Bank’s commitment to powering innovation, empowering youth and promoting economic growth in Africa. According to him, “At Wema Bank, we believe that institutions have a responsibility that extends beyond providing commercial services. We have a responsibility to create meaningful opportunities, provide the right resources, enable innovation to thrive, and support the ecosystems that will shape today’s youth as well as tomorrow’s economy. This sense of responsibility is what has driven the evolution of Hackaholics from inception till date. With Hackaholics, we have, and we are investing in the next generation of innovators, inspiring innovation that will impact lives, strengthening Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem and giving youth a platform to make meaningful use of their creativity; and the numbers continue to speak volumes”.
Declaring the application window open, Tajudeen Bakare, Wema Bank’s Divisional Executive, Business Support, added, “As we launch Hackaholics 7.0 today, we are opening up a new phase of opportunities for more Nigerian youth to challenge themselves, explore their creativity and become startup founders. I encourage every young Nigerian with a passion for innovation to leverage the opportunity that we have carefully curated through Hackaholics and get ahead of the curve in today’s dynamic work landscape. Together, we can continue to build an ecosystem where innovation flourishes, opportunities expand, and young people are empowered to create solutions that shape the future”.
Hackaholics 7.0 is free, and open to any Nigerian youth who has innovative ideas and solutions to pitch. Interested startups and innovators can apply at hackaholics.wemabank.com. All updates on the Hackaholics 7.0 journey will be made available on the Bank’s website @wemabank.com as well as its social media platforms @wemabank and @alat_ng.
Business
Adron Homes Unveils Premium Estate Plan in Ile-Ife Ahead of Olojo Festival
Adron Homes and Properties is set to participate in the 11th Olojo Festival in Ile-Ife, Osun State, as the company deepens its engagement with the ancient city and unveils plans for a Premium Estate development within the Ile-Ife domain.
The 2026 edition of the renowned cultural festival, themed “Culture Preservation Through Sustainable Tourism,” is expected to bring together traditional rulers, government representatives, corporate organisations, cultural stakeholders, tourists and the media for a celebration of Yoruba heritage and the cultural significance of Ile-Ife.
Ahead of the festival, Adron Homes made a strong appearance at the press conference and unveiling of the 2026 edition with a delegation comprising key members of its Western operations.

The delegation included Ogundapo Odunola, Deputy Managing Director, Western Super-Cluster; Johnson Olugbenga, Assistant Managing Director, Western Galaxy 1; and Shobowale Taiwo, Deputy Sales Manager, Livingspring World.
Their presence reflected the company’s growing development interests in Ile-Ife and its commitment to initiatives that connect real estate development with cultural heritage and community growth.
Speaking at the event, Seyi Oyekunle, Director General, Media, Branding & Corporate Communication, Adron Group, who represented the Managing Director of Adron Homes and Properties, Mrs Adenike Ajobo, said the company’s participation in the Olojo Festival was driven by its belief that cultural preservation and sustainable development could work hand in hand.
Oyekunle described the theme of the festival as timely, noting that culture remains an important part of identity and history, while sustainable tourism can create opportunities for employment, investment, entrepreneurship and community development.
He described Olojo as more than an annual cultural celebration, saying it represents the enduring connection between the past, present and future of Ile-Ife and its place in Yoruba civilisation.
According to him, Adron Group’s vision extends beyond conventional real estate development.
“At Adron Group, we are in the business of real estate, but our purpose is much bigger than the development of properties. We build homes. We build cities. We build communities,” he said.
A major highlight of the company’s participation was the unveiling of plans for the Adron Homes Premium Estate within the Ile-Ife domain.
Oyekunle expressed appreciation to the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, for the confidence and approval granted to Adron Homes and Properties for the development.
He said the approval comes with a strong responsibility for the company to contribute meaningfully to the development of Ile-Ife while respecting the city’s rich historical and cultural heritage.
According to him, Adron Homes is prepared to deploy its experience, resources and development capacity towards delivering a project capable of creating value for residents and contributing to the growth of the community.
He described the Premium Estate as more than a property development, saying it presents an opportunity to attract investment, provide quality housing, stimulate local businesses and strengthen the connection between Ile-Ife and sons and daughters of Ifeland and Yorubaland across the world.
The Adron Group representative said the development could provide an avenue for people in the diaspora to reconnect with the Source by creating opportunities to “come home, invest home, build home and preserve home.”
He also called for greater development of Ile-Ife as a year-round tourism destination, stressing that the city’s tourism potential should extend beyond the annual Olojo Festival.
Oyekunle said sustainable tourism should translate into tangible economic opportunities for residents, particularly artisans, young people, entrepreneurs and operators within the hospitality sector.
He further urged young people to view Yoruba culture and heritage as potential sources of economic opportunity, noting that the sector could inspire careers and businesses across film, technology, fashion, music, arts and tourism.

The Olojo Festival press conference brought together traditional rulers, government representatives, corporate organisations, members of the Olojo Festival Committee, cultural stakeholders and media practitioners ahead of the 11th edition of the festival.
As Adron Homes prepares for its participation in the festival, the company’s Premium Estate plan adds a major real estate dimension to its engagement with Ile-Ife, reinforcing its vision of “Building Homes, Cities and Communities Across the Globe.”
Business
FG To Review Tax Laws
The Federal Government has commenced a six-week review of the new tax laws to identify implementation gaps, address consequences that have emerged since their implementation and consider concerns raised by the organised private sector and other stakeholders.
The review will examine areas including Value Added Tax thresholds, withholding tax, capital gains treatment and multiple taxation.
Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu last year signed into law four new tax bills passed by the National Assembly, describing the laws as pivotal to the success of his administration’s reforms and the country’s prosperity.
The bills were the Nigeria Tax Bill (Ease of Doing Business), which seeks to consolidate Nigeria’s fragmented tax laws into a harmonised statute; the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, which establishes a uniform legal and operational framework for tax administration across the federal, state and local governments.
Others are the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, which repeals the Federal Inland Revenue Service Act and creates a more autonomous and performance-driven national revenue agency, the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS); and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill, which provides a formal governance structure to facilitate cooperation between revenue authorities at all levels of government.
While inaugurating the Technical Subcommittee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms in Abuja yesterday, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said implementation of the new laws had exposed areas requiring clarification and further reforms.
“The real test begins when the law meets the economy, as businesses interpret it, administrators implement it, investors respond to it, and citizens experience it. Implementation inevitably reveals areas requiring clarification, refinement or further reform,” the minister said.
Oyedele said the government was shifting from fundamental tax reforms to continuous improvement, stressing that the review was not intended to reverse the 2025 reforms.
He said, “The Finance Bill 2027 should not be seen as just another annual legislative exercise. Our task is not to rewrite the 2025 reforms, but to preserve their fundamental principles while learning from implementation and responding to new economic realities.
“We must ask where implementation has revealed ambiguity, where unintended consequences have emerged, where compliance can be simplified, and where we can improve investment and competitiveness.”
The review will also cover fiscal policy and management, public financial management, debt, transparency, capital markets and cross-border capital flows.
According to Oyedele, the government received 134 submissions from across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones after inviting public input, alongside additional submissions made in hard copy.
Preliminary concerns raised by stakeholders included calls to clarify and simplify VAT thresholds, withholding tax and capital gains provisions.
Stakeholders also proposed stronger measures against multiple taxation and improved coordination among revenue authorities.
They called for greater digitalisation and data sharing to prevent taxpayers from repeatedly submitting information already available to government agencies.
Other proposals included stronger taxpayer rights, faster refunds, safeguards for small businesses and measures to improve investment and competitiveness in mining, renewable energy, healthcare and capital markets.
Oyedele urged the subcommittee to assess the economic impact of proposed changes, particularly on low-income households, workers and businesses.
“Every tax reform produces winners and losers; the question is whether a policy is fair, efficient and competitive, not whether it is popular with everyone,” he said.
He added, “A provision that raises revenue may impose a far greater cost on the wider economy. The government must optimise the whole economy, not merely achieve a single objective.”
The minister warned that complicated tax rules could increase compliance costs for businesses.
Beyond preparing recommendations for the Finance Bill 2027, the subcommittee will review the Deduction of Tax at Source Regulations 2024 and prepare revised withholding tax regulations.
It will also review the Companies Income Tax (Significant Economic Presence) Order 2020 and develop an updated framework aligned with the new tax laws and international practices.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance chairs the subcommittee, while Chairman of the Tax Advisory Committee Albert Folorunsho serves as co-chair.
Members include representatives of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Nigeria Revenue Service, Joint Revenue Board, Nigeria Customs Service, Central Bank of Nigeria, Debt Management Office, Budget Office of the Federation and Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission.
Other members are drawn from the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Nigerian Bar Association, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria and Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.
Representatives of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture and the Big Four accounting firms — Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC — are also members.
The Nigeria Tax Act 2025, Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2025 and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act 2025 took full effect on January 1, 2026.
Business
CAC To Unmask Real Owners Behind Nigerian Companies For The Public
The Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC has revealed plans to expose the real owners behind Nigerian companies.
Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, Registrar-General of the CAC, made the disclosure at an engagement with journalists on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to him, there are legal owners of Nigerian companies and real individuals behind the corporate structure.
He said there is an urgent need for the public to know the real human beings behind corporate entities under its beneficial ownership disclosure framework.
He added that the move would help track illicit financial inflows within the country’s corporate ecosystem.
“In simple terms, there may be a legal owner on paper and the real person behind the corporate structure.
“We want to know the human being behind the corporate structure. And that is why beneficial ownership disclosure is not merely a bureaucratic requirement,” Magaji said.
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