NITDA Hackathon for Young Tech Innovators Opens in Adamawa
TECHDIGEST – This year’s Hackathon organized by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), under the supervision of Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, for young Nigerian tech innovators to showcase their talents has kicked off in Moddibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State.
The event brings together students, entrepreneurs and innovators from different field with the purpose of harnessing the potentials of Nigerian youths in their quest to become problem solvers through digital innovation.
Coordinated by the NITDA’s subsidiary, the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), the second edition will hold between 25th and 27th January, 2022 at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State while the third edition comes up from 31st January to 2nd February, 2022 at the University of Calabar, Cross River State.
NITDA Hackathon is a national event in collaboration with academic institutions to drive digital innovation and entrepreneurship by challenging Nigeria’s teeming youths to brainstorm and develop solutions from inception through to the market.
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With the focus on agriculture, security and logistics, this year’s programme is set to develop and grow a global network of IT experts, comprising Nigerian youths within the country and in the diaspora.
It is targeted at inculcating entrepreneurship spirit in academia, creating a platform where industry and public institutions will leverage the academic research ecosystem to solve national challenges using technology.
The Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, urged the participants to show commitment and use their talent to come up with innovative ideas that will turn the security situation in the country around.
“Technology is all about changing the way people do things, by coming up with ideas that will solve problems. This programme is aimed at giving Nigerian students, entrepreneurs and innovators the motivation to think, ideate and come up with digital innovation that will solve our problems locally.”
While commenting on the role NITDA’s subsidiaries are playing in supporting Nigerian startups, Inuwa said, “National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), is one of NITDA’s special purpose vehicles created to promote research and development on emerging technologies and their practical application in areas of Nigerian national interest.
“NCAIR is also focused on creating a thriving ecosystem for innovation-driven entrepreneurship (IDE), job creation, and national development.”
On his part, the NITDA team lead, Dr Salihu Abdulkarim, noted that the participants, were divided into groups, and winners in each category will be awarded cash prizes, and that they will also have the opportunity to conceptualize their ideas for commercialization to meet global standards with NITDA’s support.
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