Pantami, Danbatta seek support in promotion of indigenous digital solutions

Isa Pantami, Nigeria’s minister of communications and digital economy, has called on well-meaning Nigerians to collaborate with the ministry and its agencies in their drive to bolster the development of digital solutions that are indigenous to Nigeria.

Making the call at the prize-giving ceremony to startups that emerged victorious in the recently-concluded COVID-19 virtual hackathon that was organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Pantami hailed the initiative, explaining that it is in line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) and that it also fits into the implementation of the Executive Order 003 which, according to him, seeks to develop indigenous content development and patronage in Nigeria.

“No country will develop without taking deliberate decisions to promote its indigenous solutions to solve national problems. Through this contest, the NCC has demonstrated its resolve to drive the Ministry’s efforts in leveraging indigenous digital solutions to address challenges thrown up by COVID-19 pandemic and beyond,” Pantami said.

The COVID-19 virtual hackathon was an initiative of the NCC geared at pushing young people in Nigeria to create innovative and adaptive solutions that can help ameliorate the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects.

The three startups that came out on top at the hackathon were each presented with a N3 million prize money each to help facilitate their growth. The three startups were Cyberfleet, Elizade University Team, and Primed E-Health Solutions.

Cyberfleet’s effort that earned them a place on the podium is an online platform they christened “KlassConnect”, an edutech solution aimed at helping schools continue their teaching and learning processes in the face of challenges that may disrupt face-to-face education.

The Elizade University Team created an Automated Temperature Scanner (ATS), a solution that has the capability to automatically scan and trace human contacts with a temperature level that is above the average level. While Prime E-Health Solutions created SmartClinic, a web and mobile-based app that links a patient-focused app with a hospital information system. It is a solution that can potentially connect patients with their health officers during a pandemic.

Also in attendance at the prize giving ceremony was Umar Danbatta, the executive vice chairman of the NCC, who spoke on the NCC’s role in driving innovation in the area of innovative indigenous digital products.

According to Danbatta, the NCC is steadfast in its drive to push for innovation and has always done its part in encouraging Nigerian youths in that regard.

“The NCC, has in the past two years, facilitated similar ICT-based innovations and research competitions among tertiary institutions in the country,” Danbatta said.