The Federal Government has introduced a major digital innovation initiative aimed at empowering at least 50,000 young Nigerians through mentorship, skills training and enterprise development, in collaboration with global telecoms company, Ericsson.
The programme, known as the Connect NextGen Innovation Hackathon, was officially launched at the State House in Abuja and is expected to run for four months nationwide. Vice President Kashim Shettima, speaking through the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, said the initiative is designed to reposition Nigeria as a creator and exporter of digital solutions rather than a passive consumer of foreign technologies.
According to him, the hackathon will operate as a national innovation pipeline, drawing participants from universities, startups and technology hubs across the country. Open registration began on Wednesday and will close on March 10, 2026.
From the pool of applicants, 50 promising teams will receive advanced technical mentorship and product development support, before the process is narrowed to 10 finalists who will undergo incubation and acceleration. The winning teams are expected to emerge as industry-ready innovators capable of delivering scalable solutions for local and international markets.
Shettima noted that the programme aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s economic agenda, particularly in the areas of youth empowerment and job creation, stressing that digital skills are increasingly central to employment in today’s global economy.
He added that exposure to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, the Internet of Things and sustainable tech would help build a resilient, innovation-driven workforce.
Other speakers at the launch, including government officials, development partners and Ericsson executives, described the initiative as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s digital future, aimed at closing the gap between education and industry, strengthening entrepreneurship and boosting the country’s competitiveness in the global knowledge economy.
