COVID-19 Hackathon: 3 Nigerians grab NCC N9 million research grants

ABUJA, Nigeria –  All is now set for the Nigerian Telecommunications Commission, NCC to award N9 million grant to three Nigerians in the COVID-19 Hackathon digital innovation research sponsored by the commission in its search for digital solution to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The selection of the three companies followed a careful and painstaking evaluation of 282 entries in the NCC COVID-19 Virtual Hackathon from digital innovation Startups and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by an evaluation committee set up by the Commission.

The health and economic crisis triggered by the novel Coronavirus pandemic had challenged the global ICT community to search for digital solutions to address and contain the spread of the virus.

 “Such solutions would allow citizens and businesses to rein in the virus and continue their activities with limited disruptions”, the NCC said in as statement by its Director Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde.

As a response, the NCC instituted a programme to award research grants to support Startups and Digital SME’s with adaptable innovative digital solutions that could address present and future impacts of pandemic and epidemic-prone diseases in Nigeria. 

Under the programme, the Commission will award N9 million research grants to three Nigerian startups with the most innovative digital solutions for containing pandemics and epidemics in the country in the thematic areas of health, community, productivity, economy and transportation. 

The highlights of the ceremony include pitching/demonstration of the top three solutions by the startups, announcement of the winners and presentation of research prizes.

The Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, will give a keynote address and present prizes to the top three startups with the most promising solutions.

He will be supported by the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the NCC, Professor Adeolu Akande and the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Office, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta with other members of the Board of Commissioners of NCC in attendance.

The award ceremony which will hold online is slated for Tuesday, September 1, 2020 at 11:00 am prompt.  Already, the Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, has since extended invitations to operators and other industry stakeholders to participate virtually in the Grant/Prize Award ceremony, which will take place in the Conference Room of the Commission.