The federal government, in partnership with Ericsson, on Tuesday, February 10, announced plans to launch the Connect NextGen Innovation Hackathon aimed at equipping Nigerian youths with modern technology skills.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the state house press office and signed by Stanley Nkwocha, senior special assistant to the president on media and communications.
The initiative forms part of the federal government’s broader effort to drive digital skills development and increase youth participation in the technology sector under the renewed hope agenda.
According to the office of the vice president, the four-month programme will be officially launched on February 11, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, and will be overseen by the vice president’s office.
The hackathon was described as a key operational phase of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the federal government and Ericsson, with a focus on digitally upskilling Nigerian youths in technologies reshaping industries and daily life.
The statement noted that participants will receive hands-on mentoring, participate in an eight-week acceleration phase, and engage in practical learning across priority technologies such as 5G, the internet of things, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and sustainable technologies.
It added that innovators would also be encouraged to develop solutions in areas including digital inclusion, smart cities, agritech, and sustainability, with outstanding teams gaining access to accelerators and further incubation opportunities.
The collaboration builds on ongoing efforts by the federal government to partner with global technology companies to close skills gaps among Nigerian youths, support innovation, and prepare young people for emerging roles in the digital economy.
The Connect NextGen Innovation Hackathon aligns with the renewed hope agenda of president Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly its focus on strengthening Nigeria’s digital economy, technology integration, and education reform.
As part of the initial rollout, the government disclosed that an Ericsson educate programme targeted at policymakers and regulators in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector would also be launched to support Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.
The office of the vice president said the hackathon is open to innovators across Nigeria, including university students, startups, and emerging young talents, with interested participants invited to apply through the official registration platform.
Commenting on the partnership, Majda Lahlou Kassi, head of Ericsson for West and Southern Africa, said the company is proud to support Nigeria’s digital transformation through skills development initiatives.
She added that combining talent development with informed policy engagement would help address connectivity gaps and promote inclusive and sustainable growth.
Nigeria has increasingly prioritised digital skills development as part of efforts to tackle youth unemployment and position the country as a technology hub in Africa.
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