News
NITDA Introduces Hackathon as Part of Activities for Digital Nigeria 2023
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), through its subsidiary, the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), in partnership with the Innovation Support Network (ISN), is hosting the NITDA Digital Nigeria Hackathon 2023, scheduled to hold on 24th of October 2023 at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja.
The Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibition is the flagship awareness programme in the Digital Economy sector. This year’s event with the theme: “Harnessing Digital Technologies for Job Creation, Inclusive Economic Growth, and Sustainability”, is rebranded to expand the scope in line with the core objectives of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS).
In line with the above, the Digital Nigeria Hackathon, offers participants the chance to tackle national challenges by leveraging emerging technology. It is focused on building a digital Nigeria, where participants employ creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking to tackle problems measurably and systematically.
Additionally, the NITDA Digital Nigeria Hackathon 2023 is targeted at achieving the under-listed objectives:
- Local content development and promotion of ideas to be developed into products and homegrown solutions.
- To leverage young talented Nigerians to produce innovative ideas and products to solve socioeconomic problems and guide tech entrepreneurship to provide solutions to existing challenges across various sectors in Nigeria.
- To match tech entrepreneurs with the appropriate public institution right from idea generation.
- Exportation of digital services for economic expansion.
- To activate fresh thinking by connecting innovators from diverse backgrounds and sectors.
Participating startup founders will be allowed to express creativity within their business case and encouraged to develop unique solutions with an emphasis on using the latest technology such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud, Big data, Virtual blockchain, Quantum computing, Internet of Things (IoT), Augmented Reality (AR)and Reality (VR) to come up with clearly defined ideas and prototypes solutions on e-Digital Literacy & Inclusion; e-Creative Media; e-Government Services; e-Subsidy Removal/Mobility; and e- Financial Inclusion Technology.
Consequently, finalists will pitch their ideas and teams at the event and a winner will receive the Digital Nigeria Innovation Prize. After the hackathon, the winning team will be provided the support to continue to build their solution into a commercial venture. Participants are, therefore, expected to identify relevant problem areas and propose solutions to address them.
News
Legit.ng, Shade of Life Foundation Partner to Advance Autism Awareness in Nigeria
Legit.ng recently joined forces with the Shade of Life Foundation to become a voice of autism, and drive advocacy for improved media support during Autism Awareness Month.
Conversations around media support exploration was led by Joseph Omotayo, head of Department for Human Interest Stories at Legit.ng, and Dr. Eziafakaku Nwokolo, founder and CEO of the Shade of Life Foundation,
This partnership is a response to the concerns raised by organizations like the Shade of Life Foundation about the level of support received from the media in discussing autism as a disability.
While other disabilities may receive attention, autism, with its critical developmental implications often lacks adequate representation in mainstream media.
Recognizing the importance of addressing these concerns, Legit.ng took proactive steps by integrating itself into the essence of autism awareness.
It facilitated a one-hour workshop with Dr. Nwokolo, the founder of the foundation, to deepen our understanding of autism, its various spectrums, and the language boundaries associated with it.
Other steps we took in advocating autism awareness in the media, can be seen in our attached press release.
Legit.ng believes that by amplifying the voices of autism and advocating for better media representation, we can contribute to creating a more inclusive and accepting society for all.
News
As Nigeria Struggle, Tanzania Turns off Power Plants Due to Excess Supply
While 85 per cent of Nigeria is in darkness, Tanzania, an African country has shut down five hydroelectric stations in a bid to reduce excess electricity in the national grid.
Kassim Majaliwa, prime minister, Tanzania, has said the main plant, Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Station, alone generated enough electricity to power major cities, including Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial hub.
It is the first time Tanzania, which suffers chronic power shortages, has closed hydroelectric stations due to excess production.
“We have turned off all these stations because the demand is low and the electricity production is too much, we have no allocation now,” an official from state-run power company, Tanesco, said.
The 2,115MW Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam is said to be almost filled with water following heavy rains that started early this year.
Meanwhile, while the country has an installed capacity of 1,938MW and the grid installed capacity of 1,899MW, Nigeria which has an installed capacity of 13,000MW is struggling to electrify 85 per cent of its electricity consumers.
News
President Tinubu Appoints Jim Ovia as Student Loan Fund Chairman
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Jim Ovia, renowned banker and businessman, as the Chairman, Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
Ovia’s appointment is contained in a State House statement titled, ‘President Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as Chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund,’ and issued on Friday by Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the President, Media & Publicity.
The statement noted that “Ovia is the founder of one of Nigeria’s leading banks and a respected business leader, with a surfeit of efforts and benefaction towards nurturing and empowering young Nigerians.
“He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana.”
The National Student Loan Programme is a pivotal intervention that seeks to guarantee sustainable higher education and functional skill development for all Nigerian students and youths.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the implementing institution of this innovation, demands excellence and Nigerians of the finest professional ilk to guide and manage.
“The President believes Mr. Ovia will bring his immense wealth of experience and professional stature to this role to advance the all-important vision of ensuring that no Nigerian student suffers a capricious end to their pursuit of higher education over a lack of funds,” the statement partly read.
Ovia’s appointment will also ensure “that Nigerian youths, irrespective of who they are, have access to higher education and skills that will make them productive members of society and core contributors to the knowledge-based global economy of this century.”
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