E-Business
Okowa, Judges Tell Tech Start-Ups to Scale Products to Market after 26 Hours of Coding

At last, the long awaited knowledge olympiad has arrived at the shores of Nigeria.
Those who think that Software Nigeria cannot compete in the global IT Innovation market arena to solve critical national problems should better have a rethink.
Just recently after no fewer than 56 energetic/creative young Nigerian with passion for technology innovation had pitched their solutions ‘Hacked within 36 hours nonstop coding’ at the just concluded Delta State open innovation hackathon focused on resolving the SDGs challenges for Nigeria and Africa.
There were convincing signals that products showcased have the resilience and capability to solve local challenges if properly harnessed and deployed.
For the Delta State, the Delta State Governor, Senator. Ifeanyi Okowa and the panel of judges who were thrilled with the innovative solutions on showcase, ‘the tech entrepreneurs must scale up their solutions to meet up with national and global market challenges.
The event was developed in response to the need to engage and build up Tech-creative minds and young innovative software developers and start-ups in Nigeria
Before the pitch, the tech start-ups were camped in the DSIHUB for 36 hours of tech-innovation design and coding in a 10Megabit PS Domain with strong internet connection powered by MainOne.
One thing was clear after watching their presentations. They all have amazing solutions that could deliver the benefits of the Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs).
For the judges, if the solutions on showcase which cut across health, e-Gov, Water, Shelter, environments, education, agriculture, employment, among others, are scaled up to market application level, the set targets of challenges for Nigeria/Africa on Sustainable Developments Go als (SDGs) of the United Nations would be solved to the barest minimum.
Representation of skilled workforce
Speaking after the competition that Team Artisan made up of two students from the University of Uyo took the first position, the Governor of Delta State Senator Ifeanyi Okowa who was tickled with the innovations showcased by the participants, said that they represented skilled workforce needed to accelerate the Local content solutions deployment and take Nigeria to the next level.
While urging the participants to scale up their solution to the next level, the Commissioner of Finance, Olorogun David Edevwe, who represented the Governor, told the gathering that the hackathon would position the participants well for challenges of modern ICT-driven economy and should be done annually.
“Everybody is a winner. In today’s world, there is need to engage in a paradigm shift, which is focused on knowledge research and , aggregate experimenting with new and innovative ways of achieving rapid economic development for the good and prosperity of Deltans.
“The essence of this drive is to reduce poverty to its barest minimum while simultaneously improving lives, aggregating wealth and promoting the well-being of Deltans. The DSIHUB is a PPP Initiative between Delta State Government and Mobile Software Solutions It is establishment as a platform to manufacture knowledge. The state government believes that the expertise in the knowledge, practice and adoption of technology can be effectively harnessed through constructive innovation to curtail poverty and ignorance”, he said.
Building ICT manpower
To sustain and build these benefits, he said that there is needed to build a critical mass of ICT manpower across the state.
He agreed that running a hackathon represented a strategic roadmap for building, accelerating and improving capacities and capabilities of required ICT manpower.
Engage the youths
With optimism, he believed that the youths could be engaged with hackathon as a way of getting them out of the street.
The Governor challenged the tech entrepreneurs to put their skills and energy to enhance technological drive which would identify areas of need, proffer solutions and engineer sustainable development to meet the myriad of socio-economic challenges currently staring Nigeria in the face.
Out of digital slavery
For the Director General of the Delta State Innovation Hub, Chris Uwaje, if the ideas on showcase are well crafted through knowledge mentoring and turned into concrete solutions, Nigeria could be free from digital slavery.
With their good ideas, concept and solutions, Uwaje noted that all the main pillar of DSIHUB is Jim Ovia , the Chairman of Zenith Bank, who remains a source of inspiration to me and Nigerian Youths.
Moving forward, Uwaje said it was time for the government to establish Innovation Development Fund and indeed an Innovation development Bank to provide seed funding and support for the startups. Furthermore, Uwaje advocated for a true National open Hackathon where 50,000 Nigerian Youths would be assembled to shoot at creativity and innovation to select the best 1000.
While commending Mainone, Smile, IXPN, Zinox, NIIRA, Open Media, SchoolVille, Mobile Software and other sponsors of the hackathon, he informed that that innovation hub has the capacity to retool Civil Servants and Government Policy Makers, through e-Government and in particular, millions of youths hanging around without jobs.
For the judges, the solutions must be retooled to meet market demands. According to Gaul Iheanacho of Gaulis Technologies of Chigago, USA, who held brief for Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, the Chairman of the event who is also the chief judge, the participants have done well, adding that everyone was a winner.
The next challenge
Admitting that the tech start-ups have good ideas, he said that what they lack is processes for bringing their to the market to make money.
“The process is to develop it, test it, put it in the market and get feedback for better testing. I will like them to harness their great ideas into reality. But they must move away from thinking of how to make money immediately. Money will come when the products are fully developed . Great ideas but we need to turn them into products”, he explained.
Citing case study, he said that it took his company about 18 months to develop their product and another 18 months to put it to market, adding that these tech startups need seed funding to scale up. Earlier at the opening ceremony, Professor Charles Uwadia , the Head of Department of Computer Science Department, University of Lagos, urged the Hackathonists to give their best and shoot at all angles of Innovation for the development of Nigeria.
For the Permanent Secretary, Delta State Science and Technology, Mrs. Augustine Onokpise, the participants have amazing solutions that could solve real life challenges.
According to her, “You must go back into drawing table again. Fine tone your solutions and scale it up to meet up with market demands”.
“You all have mazing solutions. But there is need for you to turn your ideas to realities, Mr. Yinka Tanimowo, the Managing Director of Connect Technologies, the Chief Hackathon Consultant and Technical Officer said.
Speaking with excitement shortly after announcing them as the winner, Emmanuel Essiet who is the spokesperson of Team Artisan commended the Delta State government for given them the opportunity to pitch their product.
“We are very happy to win the cup. We will take our solution designed for job creation to the next level. The app will help self-employed people to connect via the artisan software and locate jobs. We will test it and move to the market to solve a problem. We also need seed support and mentorship to scale up” Essiet who said that they are Computer Science Students from University of Calabar, said.
According to Junior Pius Ekeh, the facility Manage, the DSIHUB will be a force to reckon with in the very near future, even as he commended the the State Government for partnering with Mobile Software.
E-Business
Check Point Reveals Nigeria as Second Most Targeted African Country for Cyberattacks in November

The November 2025 Global Threat Intelligence report released by Check Point Research on Tuesday, shows Nigerian organisations faced an average of 3,374 cyberattacks per week.

Making the country as one of the primary targets for cybercriminals in Africa last month, with a record of a staggering volume of digital threats despite an overall decline in attacks across the continent.
The report shows that this figure places Nigeria second among the four major African nations analysed, trailing only Angola, which topped the list with 4,251 weekly attacks per organisation.
While Africa as a whole saw a 13 percent year-on-year decrease in cyber incidents, Nigeria’s high numbers reveal a persistent vulnerability within its digital infrastructure. Kenya and South Africa followed Nigeria with 2,384 and 1,863 weekly attacks, respectively.
The report also identified government institutions and financial services as the most targeted sectors across Africa. Globally, the education and research sector remained the most frequent victim, hit by an average of 4,656 attacks per week.
A significant highlight of the report is the emerging threat posed by Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). Check Point Research found that one in every 35 GenAI prompts submitted within corporate networks globally posed a high risk of sensitive data leakage.
In Nigeria and abroad, employees are increasingly using AI tools that operate outside of formal security frameworks. The report noted that 87 percent of organisations using GenAI were affected by ‘high-risk’ prompts, which often included the input of proprietary code, customer data, or internal communications into public AI models.
Ransomware continues to be a primary tool for extortion, with global incidents rising by 22 percent year-on-year. While North America remains the most targeted region for ransomware, the impact is increasingly felt in emerging markets like Nigeria.
The most active ransomware groups identified in November were Qilin, Clop, and Akira, which primarily targeted industrial manufacturing and consumer goods sectors.
E-Business
JustMarkets Launches Global Boost Contest With Gold Prizes for Traders

JustMarkets, a worldwide broker with more than 12 years of experience in the online trading realm, is launching the Boost Contest, which represents a large-scale trading activity with the purpose of motivating traders, with the most proficient traders being awarded for their exceptional performance through a number of valuable prizes. This activity will last until the 31st of January, 2026.

JustMarkets
A Competition Developed with the Goal of Providing More Opportunities for Traders Worldwide
Boost Contest competition participants will be traders with Standard, Pro, or Raw Spread accounts of the MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5 platforms.
To participate, traders will only be required to have a minimum account balance of $100 with a minimum of 3 traded lots. These were the requirements set for participants. Of course, the purpose of such a competition is for every broker client to participate. At the same time, however, JustMarkets sought to encourage traders to conduct in-depth analysis, different strategies, risk, and discipline. It was with this objective that this form of competition was established.
Multiple-tier rewards system with real gold
What sets the Boost Contest apart is the Weekly Lucky Draws component, in which traders compete for real gold prizes, awarded in three levels, based on their cumulative trading volume achieved through the competition:
Tier I (more than 100 lots): 15 grams of gold (3 winners)
Tier II (50-99 lots): Gold worth 10 grams (5 winners)
Tier III (10-49 lots): 5 grams of gold (7 winners)
This competition design thus provides traders with different levels of activity with the same opportunity of benefiting from valuable rewards.
Weekly Draws to Encourage Continued Participation
Apart from the top-level prizes, the competition also includes a series of weekly prizes. Traders participating in the competition will qualify for entry into the draw if they execute a minimum of three trades per week. Five lucky traders will be awarded $200 every week.
The introduction of the Boost Contest meets JustMarkets long-term obligations in:
Engaging traders through effective rewards programs
Fostering regular and organized trading practices
Enhancing transparency and integrity within all promotion endeavors
Offering a welcoming space where traders with different skill sets can participate
This reflects the purpose of JustMarkets, which is not only to offer traders good trading terms but also opportunities that add value to the entire trading experience.
A Global Platform Built on Trust and Innovation
As a globally recognized trading platform, JustMarkets continues to invest in initiatives that elevate client experience while adhering to high operational standards. The company maintains a robust technological infrastructure, offers multilingual support, and upholds strict security principles, all foundational elements behind long-term client trust.
The Boost Contest shows JustMarkets dedication to create a convenient and transparent trading environment where everyone can reach their full investment potential by clear rules, transparent rewards, and a stable trading ecosystem.
E-Business
Microsoft Empowers 350,000 more Nigerians with AI Skills

Microsoft, in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria, Data Science Nigeria, and Lagos Business School, today announced a major milestone in its AI National Skills Initiative (AINSI), with more than 350,000 Nigerians reached with AI skills through the programme. This achievement builds on Microsoft’s longstanding partnership with the government, which has delivered digital training to over 4 million people since 2021.

Microsoft
The milestone underscores Nigeria’s commitment to inclusive, technology-driven growth and reflects strong progress in preparing individuals and organisations to thrive in the digital economy.
“Nigeria cannot afford to wait,” said Abideen Yusuf, General Manager, Microsoft Nigeria and Ghana. “AI is reshaping every sector, and the countries that move fastest on skills will lead. We must equip people now, at scale and with intent, so the immense opportunity presented by AI doesn’t pass us by.”
Olayinka David-West, Dean of Lagos Business School, emphasised this point: “AI skilling is no longer optional for Nigeria’s digital future—it is the foundation of our competitiveness. At Lagos Business School, we believe that equipping leaders and citizens with AI capabilities is essential for driving inclusive growth, innovation, and national transformation.”
As it stands, a significant percentage of Nigerian graduates are still to acquire digital skills, highlighting the importance of workforce readiness. Launched in January, the second phase of the Nigeria skilling programme, under Microsoft’s AINSI, aims to reach 1 million citizens over three years, strengthening Nigeria’s AI capability and national competitiveness. AINSI is helping drive a range of different programmes designed to embed AI skills across every sector of the economy.
Empowering organisational leaders
Over the past year, AINSI has advanced ethical and inclusive AI leadership in Nigeria’s public sector. Working with Lagos Business School, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, and the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Microsoft has trained 99 public sector leaders, including Members of the National Assembly and senior executives from 58 ministries and agencies. These sessions equipped leaders with strategies for AI-powered reporting and sector-specific roadmaps.
Equipping developers for the future
Developer-focused programmes are creating a strong pipeline of technical talent. Through government-driven initiatives like Developers in Government (DevsInGov) and the 3 Million Technical Talent initiative, led by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, developers in public sectors have gained new skills. Around 645 participants have been trained in analytics and AI integration. Another 1,000 developers learned advanced skills in areas such as DevOps, machine learning and data science. These efforts are helping Nigeria’s workforce prepare for the future by advancing AI fluency across the digital ecosystem.
Bringing AI skills to every tech user
To reach everyday tech users, developers, and business leaders, Microsoft hosted a flagship programme, Microsoft AI Skills Week – engaging over 235,000 participants through AI digital literacy workshops, business leader strategy sessions and an Agentic AI hackathon. Partnering with VISA, TeKnowledge, UNICEF, Data Science Nigeria, and Lagos Business School, the initiative trained more than 11,400 individuals and certified over 1,700. A standout moment was the Agentic AI hackathon, showcasing innovative solutions for document verification, risk assessment, and fraud detection, demonstrating the real-world impact of AI skills in fintech.
“Our collaboration with Microsoft has demonstrated that AI readiness requires coordinated investment across every stakeholder group — government, developers, educators, and communities. By building capacity for evidence-driven governance, responsible innovation, classroom integration, and community adoption, we are laying the foundation for a globally competitive workforce. True digital transformation happens when the entire ecosystem moves forward together,” commented Dr. Bayo Adekanmbi, CEO/Founder, Data Science Nigeria.
Looking ahead, Microsoft and its partners will continue driving Nigeria’s digital transformation through targeted upskilling in AI and cybersecurity, expanded access to AI education, and ongoing developer training. These activities aim to build local expertise at all levels and support Nigeria’s young population in taking an active role in Africa’s digital future.
“Nigeria is on track to capture 43% of Africa’s projected $136 billion AI-driven productivity gains by 2030,” concluded Yusuf. “By collaborating with the government to equip leaders, developers, and tech users, we’re building a future-ready workforce and helping Nigerians adopt and adapt the technology, thereby maximising its potential.”
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