The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has decided to grant an extension for the submission of applications and entries into the highly-anticipated 2023 Talent Hunt through Hackathon, with the new deadline set for Saturday, September 30, 2023.
Initially slated to close today, September 22, 2023, the deadline for application and entry submissions has now been pushed to the final day of September 2023. The decision to extend the submission window was officially announced by the director of public affairs at the commission, Reuben Muoka.
The NCC’s decision to extend the deadline aims to offer ample time for prospective startups to fine-tune their innovative solutions and ensure they are in the required format for submission. Additionally, it provides an opportunity for emerging technology entrepreneurs to participate in this esteemed competition.
The Talent Hunt through Hackathon serves as one of the key vehicles through which the NCC concretely realises its Strategic Vision Plan 2023-2025. This vision emphasises the importance of fostering the development of novel technologies and indigenous content through cutting-edge research, ultimately stimulating sustainable economic growth and development in Nigeria.
Consequently, the NCC extended an invitation to tech hubs and innovation-driven enterprises (IDEs) across Nigeria, encouraging them to register their startups and solutions for the third edition of the NCC’s Talent Hunt Research via Hackathon. The competition focuses on three primary thematic areas: Blockchain-enabled data protection solutions for enhancing regulatory compliance, assistive technology solutions for the elderly and people with disabilities and technology solutions for renewable energy in rural areas.
The NCC Talent Hunt Research through Hackathon harnesses emerging digital technologies to facilitate the creation of homegrown innovative solutions and promote local content development within the telecommunications sector. It serves as a catalyst for economic growth and social progress throughout Nigeria.
This competition offers participants the opportunity to translate groundbreaking ideas into tangible hardware and software solutions designed to address both industry and societal challenges. The most outstanding solutions, one from each of the three thematic areas, will receive grants of N10 million each to support the development of their respective solutions.
The NCC has outlined specific eligibility criteria for entities seeking to participate in the competition:
The applying enterprise must possess a certificate of registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
The enterprise must not have previously received support from the commission.
The project should demonstrate a clear relevance to one of the three thematic areas mentioned above.
The proposal must provide a well-defined problem statement, a proposed solution and a roadmap for deployment.
Proof of concept, including technical feasibility, diagrams, algorithms, existing models, or case studies, is required.
The solution must be novel, and the applicant must assert ownership of the intellectual property.
Prototype development, if included, should be completed within six months of receiving the grant.
A detailed commercialisation plan for the prototype must also be proposed.
Applications must be submitted online and adhere to the prescribed entry format. Notably, there are no associated financial costs for participating in the competition, and the NCC guarantees full control and ownership of the intellectual property associated with developed solutions.
To submit an entry, interested and qualified enterprises must compile the requested documents into a zip folder and submit them to https://ncc.gov.ng/talenthuntresearchhackathon2023. The subject of the email should be titled “Submission from <business name>,” and the zipped file should be named after the business.
The NCC wants to emphasise that the deadline for submission has now been extended to September 30, 2023. All prospective participants in the startup ecosystem are urged to take note of this extension and make the most of this valuable opportunity.
