Ondo, GIZ, ECA collaborate to host #EmergeOndo hackathon
The Ondo State Government, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and Emerging Communities Africa (ECA) -a tech NGO have collaborated to host the #EmergeOndo Hackathon to provide state-led solutions that encourages entrepreneurship.
The collaboration is driven by ‘Make-IT in Africa’, a programme GIZ is implementing on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
The ‘Make-IT in Africa’ is working with over 30 corporate and financing partners, social enterprises and tech hubs to support in creating an enabling environment for young entrepreneurs to easily access finance, markets, and skills.
“Make-IT is already prioritizing interventions on the policy level with relation to our work with the National Technology Development Agency to support policies that would drive entrepreneurship and innovation in Nigeria,” said Chiemelie Umenyiora, regional coordinator for Make-IT in Africa in a statement made available to BusinessDay.
“The EmergeOndo Hackathon will be the first of its kind in the state and we’re keen to see what solutions come from the public and how these solutions would be implemented by the state,” Umenyiora said.
The #EmergeOndo Hackathon is schedule to take place in Akure, Ondo state capital from 6th to 8th December 2018 across three tech hubs within the state where teams of six-10 individuals will contest for up to $5,000 in prizes as well as an opportunity to incubate their solution in partnership with one of the three innovation hubs in Akure.
Following the incubation period, the Ondo State government aims to adopt the solution across relevant agencies, the statement said.
“The innovation in governance hackathon is a great avenue for us to unleash the youthful innovative energy of the state and harness it towards our collective growth and development. This, first of its kind event in our state and its intends to bring all stakeholders to address four thematic areas which address most of the cardinal points of this administration in particular; job creation through agriculture, entrepreneurship and industrialization and provision of functional education and technological growth,” Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state said in his remarks.
“Our administration’s drive to become change evangelists, inclusive with the zeal to entrench long lasting change in Ondo state is what compels us to see this hackathon initiative through and we guarantee the prompt adoption of all reasonable outcomes from the event.
“I welcome all guests from all parts of Ondo and Nigeria to join in the deliberation which we are sure will produce impactful change, because changing the lives of our people is a goal worthy of our best efforts,” the governor said.
Joel Ogunsola, co-founder ECA while speaking to the significance of the #EmergeOndo innovation in governance Hackathon noted that innovation remains a critical part of ensuring that our communities continue to develop and leapfrog, ensuring that citizens can easily access government services as well as ensure that most importantly the human capital index continues to grow.
Software Developers, Creative designers, education, agriculture, business and policy enthusiasts, are encouraged to apply to participate in the Hackathon as well as sales and power enthusiasts.
Application closes by 11:59 PM on Tuesday 4th December 2018 and interested individuals and teams can register for the hackathon via http://bit.ly/
Josephine Okojie