The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) through its subsidiary the Office for ICT Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIIE) is hereby calling for application from the general public especially the youths with innovative ideas to participate in the 4th and 5th editions of the FutureHack challenge. This year, the focus is on Cybersecurity and Digital Inclusion.

The FutureHack is designed by the OIIE as a national hackathon held in collaboration with ICT hubs, MDAs, industry, and academia where Nigeria’s teeming youths are challenged to come up with solutions that will drive the digital economic development of the country. The objective of the FutureHack is to develop and grow a global network of ICT expertise, comprising Nigerian youths within the country and in the diaspora. It is targeted at inculcating entrepreneurship values in academia and creating a platform where industry and public institutions will leverage on the academic research ecosystem to solve challenges. The challenge is open to students, entrepreneurs, and creative individuals.

The 4th edition on Cybersecurity with the theme Opportunities and Challenges in Combating Cybercrime will hold on 2nd – 3rd March 2020 at Centre for Information and Telecommunication Engineering, University of Port Harcourt (Uniport), Port Harcourt, Rivers State, while the 5th edition on Digital Inclusion with the theme Digital Inclusion, Literacy, and Responsibility Towards a Better Life will hold on 9th – 10th March 2020 at PTDF Auditorium, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, Bauchi State. In the two hackathons, the selected teams are expected to take part in a coding competition where software programmers, developers, and designers among others will build and design innovative concepts. The successful startup teams in each edition will win cash prizes, undergo incubation at an appropriate hub and NITDA will expose the winners to national and international startup events. Startups with viable solutions also stand a chance of having their solutions adopted and implemented by MDAs.

For more information on NITDA 2020 Hackathon, applicants can visit the event portal HERE.

Signed
Mrs. Hadiza Umar
Head – Corporate Affairs and External Relations NITDA