Zenith Bank stock launches Zecathon 6.0 with NGN 190 million

Published on 10/08/2026 at 03:28 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Zenith Bank stock launched Zecathon 6.0 with an NGN 190 million prize pool on October 7, 2026. Q1 profit rose 2.87 percent year over year.

ZENITHBANK, NGZENITHBNK9, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Zenith Bank (ISIN NGZENITHBNK9) launched Zecathon 6.0 with an NGN 190 million prize pool on October 7, 2026, giving Zenith Bank stock a fresh corporate development ahead of its next reporting deadline. According to The Guardian, applications remain open until October 13, 2026.

NGN 190 million supports innovation

The new program covers startups, developers and senior secondary schools across Africa. Winners in the Hackathon and Startup Pitch Competition categories can receive NGN 35 million, while the prior Zecathon 5.0 edition carried NGN 140 million in prizes, according to TechCabal. The increase from NGN 140 million to NGN 190 million puts the initiative at the intersection of Zenith Bank's digital strategy and its effort to build a pipeline of technology talent.

The event is designed around banking applications using artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. Its three categories extend the program beyond a conventional startup contest, with the new school challenge allocating NGN 10 million among its top three finalists, according to The Guardian.

Quarterly profit sets the earnings base

Zenith Bank's unaudited first-quarter 2026 pre-tax profit reached NGN 360.92 billion, up 2.87 percent from the same quarter of 2025. Profit after tax was NGN 314.02 billion, an increase of 0.69 percent year over year, according to EdgeChat. The modest after-tax growth makes the forthcoming half-year filing especially important for judging whether earnings momentum improved beyond the first quarter.

Zenith Bank's extended filing deadline for audited results covering the six months ended June 30, 2026 is October 9, 2026. The extension followed board approval of the accounts on July 29 and requires Central Bank of Nigeria clearance before publication, according to TradingView.

Stock sits near its yearly high

Zenith Bank stock was last at NGN 135.60 on the Lagos exchange on October 7, 2026, after opening at NGN 135.50 and gaining 0.07 percent. The price stood 0.95 percent below the 52-week high of NGN 136.90 and above the 52-week low of NGN 53.70, while market capitalization was NGN 5.6 trillion and volume reached 845,800 shares.

Consensus remains constructive. Investing.com lists a Buy rating from three analysts, with an average 12-month price target of NGN 149.39, a high target of NGN 154 and a low target of NGN 145.20. That target range places upcoming earnings and the October 9 filing deadline at the center of the stock's near-term valuation discussion.

Zenith Bank stock stays near its high

With NGN 135.60 on October 7, 2026, Zenith Bank stock was 0.95 percent below its 52-week high, leaving the audited half-year report and the NGN 190 million Zecathon program as the two clearest company dates for investors.