Ericsson announced the launch of its Together Apart Hackathon in Nigeria. The hackathon’s objective is to identify innovative solutions using technology and connectivity, creating tomorrow’s solutions from today’s challenges and is inspired by Nigeria’s 5G deployment.
Ericsson’s Nigeria Together Apart Hackathon is hacking for both a connected future and solutions to global challenges. The theme-based hackathon aims to identify innovative and commercially viable solutions showcasing the power of connectivity and 5G in Nigeria.
The hackathon competition will bring together qualified participants with teams contributing solutions inspired by “Africa in Motion”, Ericsson’s mission to empower a sustainable and connected Africa.
The Together Apart Hackathon will improve livelihoods and contribute to the sustainable and economic growth of the country by working with entrepreneurs, professionals, academics and university students from across Nigeria to identify innovative and commercially viable solutions. This deep dive will focus on the areas of healthcare and education, manufacturing and mining, digital financial inclusion, smart cities and the Internet of Things (IoT). The hackathon aims to develop ideas revolving around digital technologies and 5G in order to stimulate innovations that improve the lives of Nigerian citizens.
A total of five winning teams will be chosen – one winning team from each of the focus areas in the hackathon. The five winning teams will receive support in developing and scaling their solutions. One team will receive the grand prize of visiting Ericsson’s headquarters in Sweden to pitch the team’s solution in person and to interact with this vibrant entrepreneurial community.
Participants will focus on creating innovative and viable solutions that are aimed at increasing the accessibility and inclusivity of healthcare, digital finance and education in the country. With technology being viewed as an enabler to improve the livelihoods and income levels of different demographics in society, the Together Apart Hackathon encourages participants to efficiently harness the potential of new technologies in order to elevate standards of living across the country.
The hackathon is part of a range of projects Ericsson has initiated with the goal of developing and enhancing the country’s regional talent. Ericsson has constantly worked on initiatives focused on empowering women in technological fields such as data encryption and artificial intelligence, and has also vigorously put forth efforts to upskill and develop local talent in its countries.
With Nigeria witnessing growth in entrepreneurship and tech start-up ecosystems, the hackathon will inspire innovations that assist in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey. The outcome of the hackathon will improve the overall standard of living, contribute to the existing body of scientific research and support Nigeria’s digital economy.