GIZ Partners Emerging Communities Africa to Host Hackathon

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH together with the Ondo State Government and the ‘Emerging Communities Africa’, to host a policy and solutions Hackathon. The Hackathon, dubbed #EmergeOndo has the aim of identifying state-led solutions to encourage entrepreneurship and increase employment outcomes.

Make-IT in Africa made it possible for GIZ to partner with the Ondo State Government in Nigeria. Make-IT already works in close collaboration with more than 30 corporate and financing partners, social enterprises, hubs, and networks to support an enabling environment for young entrepreneurs, to enable better access to finance, markets, and skills.

The Hackathon programme is scheduled to take place in Akure, Ondo State from tomorrow 6th December and will last till the 8th December 2018 across three technology hubs within the state.

At the hackathon, 6-10 individuals will contest for up to $5,000 in prizes as well as the opportunity to incubate their solution in partnership with one of the three innovation hubs in Akure after which the Ondo State government would adopt the solution across relevant agencies

Each team is expected to work on one of the four areas prioritized by the Hackathon – agricultural accessibility, business linkage, renewable and clean energy and education

Each participating team is expected to come up with solutions and policy recommendations in each of their chosen thematic area and the winning prototypes is expected to be adopted by relevant government agencies within the state.

While commenting on the hackathon, the Regional Coordinator for Make-IT in Africa, Chiemelie Umenyiora said, “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.

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.”

The state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu also added that, “ 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.”