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Driving digital innovation and entrepreneurship by challenging young Nigerians to create solutions from inception to commercialization will boost the country’s economy, Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi has said.
Abudullahi spoke recently inside University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo state at the closing ceremony of a three-day South West Edition of the 9th NITDA’s Hackathon Challenge organized by the agency’s subsidiary, the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR).
The theme of the NITDA’s Hackathon Challenge is “Innovation-Driven Ideas for addressing local challenges in Health, Government, Transportation, Financial Services and Smart city in Nigeria for Social and Economic Development.”
“African continent is a den of problems waiting to be solved and presents the next biggest market worldwide. In particular, Nigeria has a rapidly growing youthful population by which taking advantage of the market will lead to the creation of jobs, solutions and revenue flow for the country”, said Abdullahi who was represented by NCAIR’s Dr Salihu Abdulkareem.
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He said digital innovation and entrepreneurship will help fast-track the recovery of other traditional economic sectors by supporting the adoption of indigenous and tailor-made solutions for nationwide implementation of the policy through automation, smart processes and ICT solutions.He added that NITDA Hackathon 2022 is aimed at finding solutions towards building a digital Nigeria. The event allows talented Nigerians to come up with clearly defined ideas and prototypes on solutions around agriculture, logistics and security for the development of the country.
While stressing the need to come together and find solutions to the diverse problems we face because government alone cannot handle them, the DG maintained that collective responsibility is needed to achieve the positive impacts the nation yearns for
According to the NITDA’s boss, the programme is an avenue for young Nigerians to contribute their quota in the solution-finding and also explore opportunities for creation of jobs both directly and indirectly – all of which key into the national policy on digital economy.
Earlier, Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode Oyebode Adebowale, thanked NITDA for the different initiatives at building capacity in young people across Nigeria.
He said the initiative and similar programmes are helping to address series of challenges as they are great avenues for young teeming youths to showcase their talents. Represented by Chairman Geo-Hackathon, University of Ibadan, Professor Olapegba, the Vice-Chancellor encouraged participants not to stop at solution finding after this programme, but to go further towards the actualization of what they have started which will bring about solutions to the problems being faced in the country.
Part of the highlights of the event was the presentation of cash prizes of N1.5million, N1 million, and N500, 000 to the winner, first runner up and second runner.
