Financial Services Innovators (FSI), a non-profit organisation committed to discovering tech talents in tertiary institutions and enabling start-ups within the technology and financial services space, organised the hackathon challenge in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), NIBSS, GDG Lagos, Flourish, AXA Mansard, and Yellow Cowries.

Team ATBU defeated eight other contestants to emerge winner and smiled to the bank with a whopping N1 million, while the 1st runner-up, Team Sauki Health went away with N750,000, and the 2nd runner-up, Team BetaLife pocketing N500, 000.

Team ATBU won with Tickety, an innovative trip-booking platform for people with or without the Internet. 

Team Sauki pitched an online/offline app aimed at providing health services for Nigerians, while Team BetaLife presented a Blood Bank app that addresses the challenges of blood donation in the country. Other winners of the competition included Locapay, Digi Clinic, Trowpass, Rocket, Safepay, and Dono. They all went home with consolation prizes of N100,000 each.

According to the Executive Director, FSI, Aituaz Kola-Oladejo, the hackathon challenge is borne out of her desire to groom young talents in technology. 

“We believe that once we start grooming young talents in technology, we’ll be able to create employment opportunities. We also want to change the narrative. We have seen youngsters coming out of Nigeria doing great stuff like Flutterwave, Paystack etc., but there is still a lot to do. What the young innovators need is support. So, we are providing them with the ladder to grow and achieve their goals and dreams. That’s exactly what we are doing with this Financial Inclusion for All Hackathon challenge,” she submitted.

Welcoming the participants to Chrisland University, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. (Mrs) Chinedum Peace Babalola, who was represented by Prof. Temidayo Akinbola, not only wished them a successful deliberation but also implored the visitors to explore the many tourist attractions in the ancient city.

NACOS president, Olamilekan Abolade, in his opening remarks emphasized the uniqueness of this year’s conference, saying it was put together to discover the power of revitalizing the economy through technology.

“One of the highlights of the event is the innovation challenge in which we have partnered with Financial Services Innovators (FSI) to make it yet another best in the history of the association,” he stated.

Prof. Adesina Sodiya, President of Nigeria Computer Society, thanked FSI for organising the event and lending its support to NACOS. On his part, keynote speaker, Prof. Olumide Longe, Dean & Head of School, Faculty of Computational Sciences & Informatics, Academic City University, Accra, Ghana, challenged the young scholars to come up with computing innovations that will have a positive impact on Nigeria and across the world. 

“Crisis is a breeding ground for innovation. Therefore, what you need to fire your innovation is illumination,” he posited.

Derek Nwafor moderated the hackathon while Eniola Boluogun, Gbolahan Alli, Binta Moustapha, and FSI’s Advisory Board member, Wole Odetayo, served as judges. According to Odetayo, the winners and participants should continue to innovate and not rest on their oars.

Speaking shortly after his team emerged as the overall winner, ATBU’s leader, Divine Owoyemi, expressed gratitude to FSI for providing the platform to showcase their talents. 

“We are all Computer Science students of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi. We travelled from Kaduna to participate in the hackathon competition. We won because we came up with something that nobody has done before. We are excited to win, and we thank FSI for giving us the platform to showcase our talents,” he said.

About 74 teams from 28 states spread over the six geo-political zones of Nigeria registered for the hackathon competition. However, 12 teams were shortlisted to pitch their innovative ideas to a panel of judges at the grand finale. The teams developed technological applications to solve real-life problems in suburban communities.

The Nigeria Computer Society induction ceremony was held at June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State, as part of activities for this year’s International Conference under the theme: ‘Smart, Secure and Sustainable Nation’.

Addressing the new inductees into one of the noblest professions, Professor Adesina Sodiya, the President, advised them not to take anything for granted regarding the knowledge of the profession.

He said that NCS is determined to work with relevant authorities to ensure that only the people with required standards of knowledge and skills are allowed to deliver IT projects. 

This, he said, is a means to checkmate quackery and other unwholesome practices in the industry.

He said that the new inductees are in pursuit of excellence by seeking to become members of the computing profession and improve on themselves from time to time as circumstances may permit.

Prof. Sodiya reiterated that one of the hallmarks of professionalism, especially in Information Technology (IT), is training and retraining, given the high obsolescence of Information Technology and the need to be updated on a regular basis.

Earlier, Mr. Tunde Ezichi, who chaired the ceremony, said there the inductees, first understand why you are practitioners in the Information Technology profession.

“Please note that the profession has the power of life and death; it depends on how you use it. Software drives virtually everything. Artificial Intelligence has disrupted other technology. IT has impacted every aspect of human endeavour. “Once you are practicing, you will be confronted by different situations requiring decision-making. The route you take will determine if you will be praised to high heaven or condemned. Your practices will impact the global economy – government, businesses and individuals. Our nation (Nigeria) will depend on the IT profession to get it out of the rocks”, he added.

Induction Lecture

Dr. (Mrs) Adeola Ilechukwu delivered the induction lecture titled: Tradition and values of Nigeria Computer Society (NCS).

She said that since its establishment in 1978, Nigeria Computer Society has lived up to expectations in terms of advocacy for adequate, high standards and ethical conduct of its members and the development of IT in Nigeria.

“Membership is open to every person involved either directly or indirectly in computer science and information technology and systems.

“By your induction today, there are certain obligations of which you must pay your annual subscriptions. A member whose subscription is in arrears and is duly notified cannot vote. The Council may take any necessary step(s) in recovering of arrears of subscription including the publication of names of defaulters.

She also told the inductees that they are required to participate in NCS annual conferences, CPN IT Assembly, enlist on State Chapter, and register with one of the interest groups – ITAN, ISPON, ISPAN, NiWIIT, NITPCS, ITSSP, AITP.

“Your professional conduct must comply with the constitution of the Society”, she said.

Dr. Charles Onyeukwu, Chairman, Ethics and Disciplinary Committee, said members must abide by ethics of the profession, especially in their workplace.

“Taking credit or passing someone’s work as though it was your effort is highly unethical. Your efforts should be towards the growth of the organization; deceptions, fortification of company’s documents to deceive Government Agencies must not continue”.

While presenting the candidates for induction, Professor Oludele Awodele, Chairman, Credentials Committee of NCS, said the Society can boast of having the highest number of IT practitioners in Nigeria in its fold.

He said that the 854 inductees were properly screened and have satisfactorily agreed to abide by the professional conducts.