Three startups emerge top winners of NITDA COVID-19 innovation challenge

 

Three startups have been announced as winners of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Nigeria COVID-19 Innovative Challenge.

The winners where declared on Thursday during the virtual demo Day witnessed by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami and other dignitaries.

The challenges

The winners are:
1. Algorizmi – 1st (N1,000,000);

2. Smart Chamber – 2nd (N750,000);

3. Myclinic.ng – 3rd (N500,000)

4. Covid Tracker – 4th

5. COViRR 20 – 5th

TechEconomy.ng learned that half of the cash prize will go into bringing the solution to live through a hub partnership.

Dr. Pantami and Inuwa Abdullahi

NITDA, through its subsidiary, Office for ICT Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIIE), recently announced the Nigeria COVID-19 Innovation Challenge; an online innovative challenge set up to meet the challenges mankind is facing as a result of the Coronavirus.

With the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring Coronavirus (COVID-19) a global pandemic, governments have issued guidance for members of the community to practice social distancing, while companies have enforced work from home policies in an effort to flatten the curve of viral infections across the population.

The Challenge, organized as part of NITDA’s strategic initiatives, was aimed at identifying and showcasing innovative technology that will help in containing the pandemic, cushion its effects, create awareness on measures to prevent the spread and engage stakeholders in discussion.

Speaking during the Demo Day, Dr. Pantami, directed that agencies under the Ministry (FMoCDE) to institute ‘research grants’ for Nigerian startups.

The pitch session

Pantami said that all agencies under the supervision of the Ministry should work on providing research grants for promising innovative solutions that will help in the fight against COVID19.

On his part, the Director General of NITDA, Mr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, reiterated that Nigeria COVID-19 innovation challenge was initiated to use indigenous technology to contain Corona Virus (COVID-19) pandemic and cushion the economic impact.

He said that Nigeria Covid-19 innovation challenge initiative was conceptualized, implemented and opened call for application under the lockdown.

Inuwa described the challenge as unprecedented because the HM (honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami) has created a sense of stability for the Agency to work virtually “while our world has been under lockdown”.