The Nigerian Communications Commission says it has extended the deadline for the submission of applications and entries into the 2023 Talent Hunt through Hackathon to September 30.
A statement by the Director, Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka,
on Friday said the extension was to give ample time for more prospective and
viable startups to tidy up their solutions in the required format for
submission as well as enable more upcoming technology entrepreneurs to
participate in the competition.
The statement described the talent hunt as one of the means
through which the NCC gives concrete expression to its Strategic Vision Plan
2023–2025, by encouraging the development of new technologies and indigenous
content through cutting-edge research to stimulate sustainable economic growth
and development in Nigeria.
Consequently, the commission said it had invited the tech
hubs and innovation-driven enterprises in the country to enroll their start-ups
and their solutions in the third edition of the NCC Talent Hunt Research
through a hackathon. It said the focus was on three thematic areas, such as
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 leverages
emerging digital technologies to facilitate the development of home-grown
innovative solutions and local content development in the telecommunications
sector while fostering economic growth and social advancement in Nigeria,” the
statement partly read.