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Team HealthWaka Beat Allcomers to Clinch Top Prize @SecureHack 1.0
Eko Innovation Centre, one of the leading tech hubs in Nigeria, recently played host to the grand finale of SecureHack 1.0, a hackathon designed to drive tech innovations across three thematic areas: Biosecurity, Physical Security, and Cyber Security.
L-R: Ayodele Olojede, Group Head, Emerging Businesses Africa, Access Bank (Final Juror); Victor Afolabi, Founder Eko Innovation Centre and Curator, SecureHack 1.0; Omolola Oluwadara, Product Development Manager, HealthWaka, Winner of SecureHack 1.0; Dr. Obadare Peter Adewale, Co-founder, Digital Encode Limited (Final Juror); and David Arome Ali, Chief Information, Security Officer, Airtel (Final Juror) at the Grand Finale of SecureHack 1.0 held at the Eko Innovation Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos, on Saturday, April 15, 2023.
The event was attended by innovators, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and security professionals, while many others across the world joined the event virtually.
The competition, which was launched in February, garnered over 400 registrations from participants to form 100+ teams from 62 locations in four countries and across two continents.
The hackathon brought together innovators and security experts in the fields of cyber, biology, and physical security, providing a challenging and engaging learning experience that raises awareness about security as well as drive innovation towards providing solutions to these challenges.
The event’s keynote address, presented by Oluwasolape Akinde, Head of IT GRC & DPO at Seven-Up Bottling Company Limited, focused on the topic of “Strengthening Cyber Security in Africa’s Emerging Digital Economies”.
In his presentation, he discussed the challenges facing Cyber Security in African’s Emerging Digital Economy, best practices for strengthening Cyber Security, collaborations, and partnerships.
Another security expert, Imeh Udofia, gave a presentation on Cyber-Physical Security, discussing Cyber-Physical attacks: An emerging threat, preventive controls, layers of security, and components of physical security, among others.
The highlight of the event was the pitching of ideas by finalists of the hackathon. The teams were split into groups of four and required to work together for three weeks, brainstorming and ideating new concepts based on their focus areas, which include cybersecurity, physical security, and biosecurity.
At the end of the process, Team Nexa came third in the competition to cart home the sum of N350,000 while Team Cyber Verse clinched the second place position to win the sum of N650,000.
However, Team HealthWaka emerged as the overall winners of the competition. The trio of Omolola Oluwadara, Kehinde Abolaji, and Ozemhoya Anthonia beat allcomers to win the grand prize of the hackathon, which is the sum of one million naira and an acceleration programme investment of up to $50k equity Investment to get their products ready for the market among other benefits.
During the entire process, 31 selection jurors selected the top 10 innovative solutions from 26 teams that pitched.
The teams were subjected to coaching and mentorship for two weeks. Speaking on the pitching process among other things, Ayodele Olojede, the Chief Juror of the Hackathon and Group Head, Emerging Businesses, Africa Bank Plc., said, “The underlining factor we looked at among other criteria was that ‘Civic good’. So, you are able to come up with a solution you can make money with and at the same time, you are solving a challenge that could benefit society.
“We looked at how great the contestants’ ideas were and also checked if there is a team that can progress this, we looked at quality of the delivery, how they responded to questions and also looked at their business models.”
She added that the winners of SecureHack 1.0 are indeed deserving of their recognition, and the Eko Innovation Centre, as the host, deserve commendation for curating yet another successful tech event in Nigeria.
Meta, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy (FMCIDE), has launched the Llama Impact Accelerator Program to foster AI-driven solutions across critical sectors in Nigeria.
The eight-month program will support early-stage startups developing AI innovations using Meta’s open-source Llama models. Target sectors include Agriculture, Security & Safety, Healthcare, and a wildcard category for other high-impact applications.
Speaking at the launch, Sade Dada, Head of Public Policy, Anglophone West Africa at Meta, emphasized the initiative’s role in advancing Nigeria’s digital ecosystem. “We are thrilled to partner with FMCIDE in supporting local AI talent. Open-source AI should be accessible and relevant to national challenges,” she said.
The program will begin with a six-week incubation period, offering technical training and mentorship from industry experts, followed by six months of extended support, including access to technical resources.
Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, hailed the initiative as a “major step forward” in Nigeria’s AI development strategy. “AI will be a key driver of national growth, and this program equips innovators with the tools to tackle pressing issues,” Tijani stated.
The Llama Impact Accelerator aligns with Meta’s broader mission to democratize responsible AI access while fostering innovation in emerging markets.
In collaboration with academic and government stakeholders, the initiative is expected to accelerate Nigeria’s AI industry and drive impactful change.
Applications for the program remain open until June 27, 2025. More details can be found at llamaimpactssa.splashthat.com.
In an era where climate change, youth unemployment, and food insecurity loom large over the continent, a powerful new force is rising — young African innovators building a green future from the ground up.
At the just-concluded Africa PachiPanda Challenge 2024, organised by MTN and WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), Nigerian entrepreneur, Olabisi Rafatu Emmanuel, emerged as one of the continent’s top eco-champions, spotlighting the potential of purpose-driven innovation to rewrite Nigeria’s climate and development story.
While Moses Afopezi of Cameroon took home the top prize with AgricFresh, a smart solution combating post-harvest loss, Olabisi’s reusable menstrual products solutions as a waste transformation model earned her national applause and a seat at Africa’s sustainability table, emerging as the second-place winner.
Speaking during the announcement, MTN’s leadership underscored that this challenge goes far beyond accolades. “Together, we have the power to shape a greener, more sustainable Africa — one bold idea at a time,” Nompilo Morafo, Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, MTN, said.
The triumph comes at a time when Nigeria is grappling with the environmental menace of climate change in major urban hubs like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, even as the Nigerian government is clamouring for smart innovations to address climate change issues such as climate funding, carbon trading and just energy transition.
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) recently reiterated calls for tech-based waste management solutions – making Olabisi’s innovation timely and impactful.
MTN says this is just the beginning. With plans to expand the PachiPanda Challenge to more countries and deepen support for eco-entrepreneurs, the telecoms giant is reaffirming its commitment to socio-economic development through green innovation.
As Nigeria sets its sights on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, the PachiPanda story is a timely reminder that the answers may lie not in government halls – but in the dreams and drive of Nigeria’s young changemakers.
MTN Nigeria has convened alumni of its Media Innovation Programme (MIP) for an interactive training session on digital monetisation in Nigeria’s Value-Added Services (VAS) sector.
The hybrid event, themed “Understanding Digital Monetisation: Opportunities in the VAS Space in Nigeria,” was led by A’isha Umar Mumuni, Chief Digital Officer, MTN Nigeria. Participants explored evolving digital revenue models, including mobile payments, subscription billing, and telco-backed content partnerships.
Mumuni emphasized the growing significance of digital innovation. “Innovation is the currency of the future,” she stated. She cited projections indicating Nigeria’s potential emergence as the world’s fifth-largest economy by 2075, with the digital economy at the forefront of this growth.
The session spotlighted MTN Nigeria’s role in enabling content creators through platforms such as Callertunes, MTN Play, and digital storefronts. Participants were grouped into breakout sessions where they pitched digital product ideas, fostering creativity and strategic thinking.
According to industry figures, Nigeria’s digital economy contributed 18.44 percent to GDP as of Q2 2022, with ICT revenue soaring from ₦51.3 billion to ₦594 billion over a decade. Global digital services revenue reached an estimated $2.58 trillion in 2024, driven by advertising, paid content, and internet access.
Now in its fourth year, MTN Nigeria’s MIP continues to equip media professionals with the knowledge and tools to thrive in a digital-first economy. The company reaffirmed its commitment to supporting its alumni through curated development sessions that empower media practitioners in Nigeria.
For further details on the MIP programme and upcoming alumni engagements, visit www.mtnmip.smc.edu.ng.
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