The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting inclusive digital innovation through the NCC Hackathon Live Show 2026, focusing on developing technology solutions that address the needs of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and other underserved communities.
Speaking at the opening of the two-day event in Abuja, the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC, Rimini Makama, represented the Director of Zonal Operations, Usman, and said the hackathon was more than a technology competition, describing it as a demonstration of NCC’s commitment to building an inclusive digital society.
Makama said the theme of the event, “Technology Without Barriers,” underscored the need for innovations that not only demonstrate technological sophistication but also improve lives, expand opportunities and enable all Nigerians to participate meaningfully in the digital economy.
She noted that despite the rapid transformation brought about by digital technologies, Persons with Disabilities and other underserved groups still face barriers to accessing communication services, education, healthcare, and government platforms.
“For many Persons with Disabilities and other underserved populations, barriers still exist in accessing communication services, education, healthcare, financial services, employment opportunities, and government platforms. These challenges call for innovative solutions that are affordable, practical, and responsive to the realities of our local environment.”
She said the hackathon provides an opportunity for young Nigerian innovators to transform creative ideas into practical solutions in areas including artificial intelligence, assistive technologies, voice-enabled communication, sign-language recognition, accessible digital services and inclusive employment platforms.
The Executive Commissioner added that the initiative would also strengthen collaboration among government, academia, industry, start-ups and the wider innovation community in developing technologies that respond to national priorities.
Makama emphasised that investing in young innovators was an investment in Nigeria’s digital future, noting that the Commission would continue to support local talent, indigenous software development, research, innovation and technology-driven entrepreneurship.
She commended the participation of developers, researchers, students, start-ups and Persons with Disabilities, saying their diverse perspectives would contribute to the development of impactful and sustainable solutions.
She urged participants to focus not only on developing impressive technologies but on creating solutions that are simple to use, affordable, scalable and capable of improving the quality of life of millions of Nigerians.
“Remember that the greatest innovations are those that remove obstacles, create opportunities, and empower people to reach their full potential,” she said.
Makama expressed optimism that the hackathon would produce innovative solutions that advance inclusion and contribute to Nigeria’s technological development.
Giving an overview of the Hackathon, the NCC Director of Digital Economy, Helen Obi, said the initiative was designed to promote digital indigenous innovation across Nigeria’s technology ecosystem while advancing critical digital inclusion models.
According to her, the hackathon provides a platform for supporting local technology development and building functional assistive solutions that enable universal access to digital opportunities.
“ The idea is to have a platform designed to promote digital indigenous innovation across Nigeria’s tech ecosystem, advancing critical digital inclusion models.
“Also, it will act as an active platform to support local technology development and build functional assistive solutions for universal access.”
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She said the initiative’s core objectives include promoting inclusive digital services, encouraging homegrown entrepreneurship, bridging the digital divide and strengthening Nigeria’s digital innovation ecosystem by empowering young innovators with structured pathways for venture development.
Obi explained that the Commission was particularly focused on eliminating physical, neurological, language, literacy, income and geographical barriers that prevent some Nigerians from participating fully in the digital economy.
She said the solutions being developed by participants would seek to address challenges through features such as artificial intelligence-powered speech-to-text systems, real-time sign-language translation, voice complaint systems, accessible customer-care services and USSD solutions for users of non-smartphones.
Other areas of focus, the NCC Director of Digital Economy further disclosed that it includes image-to-voice navigation, environmental descriptions, inclusive job-matching platforms and targeted hiring pipelines for Persons with Disabilities.
She identified expected outcomes of the initiative as the creation of new start-ups, development and protection of local intellectual property, promotion of indigenous innovations and stronger partnerships between the public and private sectors.
A total of 20 groups pitched their solutions on the opening day, with the top 5 expected to advance to the grand finale.
