Nigeria Moves to Unlock AfCFTA Potential, Launches Maiden Hackathon with N20m Grand Prize
Nigeria Moves to Unlock AfCFTA Potential, Launches Maiden Hackathon with N20m Grand Prize
James Emejo in Abuja
The Nigeria the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Coordination Office, has endorsed the launch of the first-ever AfCFTA Hackathon in in the country with N20 million grand prize.
The bold move seeks to deepen the implementation and unlock the full potential of the landmark trade agreement in Nigeria.
The Coordination Office is under the leadership of the National Coordinator, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo.
The hackathon initiative, led by Cherith-Code Concept Limited, an international trade consortium, is supported by a coalition of partners, including Ascend Studios Foundation, Amazon Web Services, GFA Technologies, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and Real Sources Africa, a Kenya-based company.
The annual, high-impact project will focus on unpacking the opportunities presented by the newly adopted AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol (DTP).
Senior Trade Expert and Lead at the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Mr. Olusegun Olutayo, im a statement, said the hackathon is an innovative, tech-driven challenge specifically designed with Nigeria’s enterprising youth in mind.
He said the programme aligns with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu, aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Olutayo, who also serves as Director of the Nigerian AfCFTA-Hackathon Project, further emphasised that the initiative will expand opportunities under the AfCFTA framework, empowering Nigerian innovators to explore and dominate the continental market through digital trade.
He said the platform will serve as a hub for developing competitive, practical, and innovative solutions to power digital trade across Africa.
Held as a flagship event at the Science of Trade (SOT) Conference 2025, hosted by Ascend Studios Foundation, the maiden AfCFTA Hackathon is set to take place from May 1–3, 2025, in Lagos State, Nigeria’s commercial and tech innovation hub.
Convener of the SOT Conference, Dr. Inya Lawal, expressed enthusiasm about the hackathon’s transformative potential and the partnership with the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office.
The Chief Operating Officer (COO), Cherith-Code Concept,
Dr. Inya Lawal, said the event marked a pivotal shift in how Africa approaches digital trade. It sparks practical innovations that shape the continent’s economic future.
Described as the first-of-its-kind on the continent, the hackathon seeks to drive the implementation of the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol, positioning the country as a trailblazer in Africa’s evolving digital trade environment.
The Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, is expected to attend the SOT Conference 2025 as a special guest.
He will deliver a keynote address, serve on the hackathon jury panel, and offer mentorship and strategic policy guidance during the event.
James Emejo in Abuja The Nigeria the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Coordination Office, has endorsed the launch of the first-ever AfCFTA Hackathon in in the country with N20