KlassConnect, two others win NCC’s N9 million prize for digital solution to COVID-19 pandemic

MAITAMA, Abuja, Nigeria – KlassConnect, an all in one revolutionary learning management platform created by Messrs Cyberfleet Integrated Limited today(Tuesday) emerged overall winner of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Digital Solutions Hackathon for COVID -19 and other Infectious Diseases.

KlassConnect is an indigenous platform that provides educational institutions from primary to tertiary institutions with a web portal that amongst other things enables students work remotely by registering for courses, receiving lectures, delivering assignments, creating and executing tasks.

SmartClinic is  a digital solution that makes room for online consultation with medical doctors  with provision for e-payments and receipt of prescriptions designed by Messrs Primed E-health, a leading health IT company involved in providing and implementing  the latest trends in health technology emerged second, while  Automated Temperature Scanner created by Elizade University Team with contact tracing capability without  physical contact  with anyone got the third place prize.

“If the device is linked with user’s gmail account, users with high blood temperatures can be traced, including specific places they have visited”, the Elizade University Team said of their invention, the Automated Temperature Scanner.

The three technology outfits, Cyberfleet Integrated Limited, Primed E-health and the Elizade University Team received N3 million prize each from the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami at the well attended presentation ceremony held at the NCC Conference Hall in Maitama, Abuja. Dozens of other guests joined the ceremony online.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Pantami said he is particularly happy that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) took up the challenge he posed to them in the search for solutions in ameliorating the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. He explained that since the global pandemic began, the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy has strived to support the Federal Government with solutions, based on its areas of expertise and in line with the mission, to build a nation where digital innovation and entrepreneurship create value and prosperity for all.

The Minister explained that every sector of the economy stands to benefit from  digital economy, hence the programmes of the Ministry target more than just sectors that are traditionally considered to be tech sectors. 

Quoting the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the ministers noted that an increasingly open global economy, achieving competitiveness requires an enabling environment conducive to digital innovation and entrepreneurship across sectors. Research, he pointed out has also shown that there is now a growing digital innovation divide across countries, which challenge the assumption that innovation contributes to inclusive growth.

“The solution to bridging the innovation divide is in articulating globally comparable frameworks, with areas of emphasis according to the national needs that drive digital innovation”, he said, explaining that  today’s occasion marks a “modest but significant event in our search for adaptable digital solutions in our clime. Today’s event aligns with two of the 8 – pillars of our Digital Economy’s policy and strategy plan: the development of a vibrant digital ecosystem that supports innovation-driven enterprise and Micro Small and Medium Enterprises and the provision of a policy framework that prioritizes digitally skilled Nigerians for government funded projects.

“This is also in line with Executive Orders 003 and 005 of His Excellency, President Mohammadu Buhari’s administration. The current pandemic makes our discussion of solutions today even more significant, as the world searches for affordable and time saving solutions”, the minister said. In extending his profound congratulations and encouragement to the winners, the minister asserted that they have shown that all efforts to become part of the global digital innovation stage are yielding fruits.

“We hope that these innovations will be bankable and marketable to the local, national and international market places. ICT innovations do not discriminate. The COVID-19 pandemic has become one in which the World is united in finding a solution. Any digital solution to addressing any aspect of the challenges posed by the pandemic is welcome”, he noted, adding that all 298 entries are winners since evaluations are generally subjective due to inherent human weakness. “Hence all those who participated are winners, therefore don’t lose hope”, he advised.

Pantami advised relevant agencies to supervise the start-ups, track their performance and give them encouragement to work harder. “Work hard, be consistent and be patient about what you do and be optimistic”, he said.

In his address, Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta  said innovations in telecommunications has to a large extent, provided the best link for humanity to share available solutions in navigating the challenges of the pandemic. This, he said may be the reason why the number of uptakes in different types of telecommunications services has continued to rise in spite of lockdowns and restrictions occasioned by the pandemic.

“The number of active subscribers in Nigeria has continued to rise as the figures of the last eight months show increases from 184 Million in December 2019 to 199.3 Million in May 2020. Internet subscriptions in the same period has grown from 126 Million subscribers to 147.1 Million, while broadband subscription has improved from 72 Million to 80.2 million, achieving a 42.02% penetration in the country. These may have given impetus to the possibility of holding virtual meetings and conferences on video technologies that are now providing social distancing solutions”, he said.

He explained that the Hackathon is expected to throw up innovative and adaptable solutions that will address the present and future impacts of pandemics and epidemic diseases in Nigeria focusing on five (5) thematic areas namely Health, Community, Productivity, Economy and Education.

He said that in inviting submissions for this innovative digital solution to Covid-19 pandemic,  novel ideas or solution were sought to address the needs of health workers and other frontline health professionals including individuals in isolation centres, or provide help for relevant agencies involved in tracking and tracing the spread of the virus as well as support or facilitation of other preventive measures.

“Today’s event is by no means the first of its kind. We have encouraged ICT innovations among the Nigerian youths whom we have regularly sponsored to the various competitions organized by the International Telecommunications Union. The Commission, has in the past two years managed similar ICT-based innovations and research competitions among the tertiary institutions in the country, with potentials to improving on our local content solutions in the industry”, the EVC said.

In his opening address, Director of Research and Development, Dr. Henry Nkemadu said the telecommunications ecosystem is very dynamic and that technology plays a key role in economic growth & sustainability of modern world economy especially with the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

He explained that the need to harness the potentials of these technologies to address societal challenges and meet our unique needs becomes very important.

“It is also a national aspiration to spice some of these technologies with local content as a way of improving availability of local manpower, and advancing ICT skills. It is for this reason that the Commission initiated the NCC Virtual Hackathon 2020, in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, to challenge Nigerian Startups, Technology Hubs and Innovation Digital SMEs to come up with adaptable digital solutions for addressing the present and future impacts of Pandemic and Epidemic diseases in Nigeria. The Hackathon was designed to engage the Startups to compete in a healthy manner in such a way as to improve our innovativeness”, he said.

Providing background for the emergence of the three winners, he said that  out of the solutions from different Startups that participated in the Virtual Hackathon, three winning solutions were identified through a painstaking evaluation process that threw up the overall  first, second and third bests Startups with the most promising and adaptable solutions.

“Beyond prize winning, we congratulate every Startup who participated in this competition. We have no doubt that the experience gained will provide all of us with the opportunity to retool and re-engineer our innovative skills for a better future for our businesses and our nation”, Nkemadu said.