The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has awarded N6 million to three startups developing technology solutions designed to improve digital inclusion for persons with disabilities.
The startups were rewarded on Thursday during the fourth edition of the Hackathon Live Show in Abuja, held under the theme, “Technology Without Barriers: Innovative Solutions for Persons with Disabilities.”
Speaking at the event, NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Dr Aminu Maida, said technology and innovation would be critical to Nigeria’s economic development.
Maida, who spoke through the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management, Rimini Makama, said the country’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy could not be achieved if sections of the population remained digitally excluded.
“Nigeria today stands at a pivotal crossroad. As we work to build a resilient and diversified one $1 trillion economy, we must recognise that true national progress is impossible if some of our citizens remain locked out.
“This hackathon is our strategic response as it is a platform where innovation is harnessed to ensure that no one is left behind in our nation’s digital transformation journey. Often, several interconnected barriers continue to shape the digital experiences of persons with disabilities (PWDs),” he said.
Maida cited World Bank estimates that about 25 million Nigerians live with at least one form of disability, noting that barriers to technology access could result in exclusion from education, employment, healthcare and financial services.
He said the hackathon was designed to encourage local innovators to develop practical solutions to such challenges.
SORA, an inclusive job-matching and adaptive skills platform for verified persons with disabilities, emerged winner and received N3 million.
The platform, developed by Abdulhaqq Motolani Somoye, connects users with accessible employment and skills-development opportunities.
Clear Signal, developed by Stephanie Nwangwu, won the second prize of N2 million.
The platform allows blind, visually impaired, deaf and hard-of-hearing electricity consumers to receive accessible outage notifications through voice calls, text messages and visual alerts.
Ikor, an AI-powered voice dictation and writing assistant developed by Victor Akpan, came third and received N1 million.
The software is designed to help users overcome difficulties associated with physical typing, expensive hardware and limited internet access.
Maida said the innovations demonstrated the ability of Nigerian technology developers to address local problems while promoting accessibility.
He urged the innovators to continue improving their products and develop scalable solutions capable of delivering sustainable impact.
Senior Manager, Strategy and Innovation at MTN Nigeria, Chinyelu Chikwendu, commended the NCC for supporting innovation beyond its regulatory responsibilities.
She described the focus on persons with disabilities as commendable and reaffirmed MTN’s commitment to supporting startups and innovators building a more inclusive digital ecosystem.
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