The Kano State Information Technology Development Agency (KASITDA) has secured $50,000 in cloud support for emerging startups through the HEAT Hackathon 2025.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature, announced the initiative during the event held on October 11, 2025, at the E-Health Africa Auditorium in Kano.
It marked the first large-scale technology hackathon in the state’s history and a landmark step in its quest to build a sustainable innovation ecosystem.
The hackathon organized under Governor Yusuf’s Digital Transformation Agenda, brought together 36 innovation teams and over 150 participants to develop technology-driven solutions for critical development sectors such as, Health, Education, Agriculture, and Transportation (HEAT).
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, represented by Director-General of KASITDA, Dr. Bashir Abdu Muzakkari, emphasised that the initiative aligns with global trends in digital inclusion and youth empowerment.
“This Hackathon is not a conclusion but a beginning,” Dr. Muzakkari said.
He said; “Governor Yusuf’s vision is to make Kano a center of technological excellence—an African hub where young innovators transform local challenges into global opportunities. KASITDA will continue to provide the support they need to thrive.”
The $50,000 cloud credit package, facilitated through a strategic partnership with CloudPlexo, an Amazon Web Services (AWS) partner, will provide 10 winning startups access to advanced cloud infrastructure, enabling them to build, test, and scale their innovations to international standards.
Further contributions came from All for Tech, which offered secure VPN access for project development, and Enovate Lab, which provided post-hackathon mentorship, including training in business modeling, investor readiness, and global market entry strategies.
Governor Yusuf praised the success of the HEAT Hackathon 2025, describing it as a milestone that places Kano on the global innovation map.
He said; “Our vision is to leverage technology as a driver of education, employment, and inclusive growth.
“This achievement by KASITDA demonstrates our belief that innovation is not just local—it is a universal language of progress.”
With this latest achievement, Kano joins a growing list of African regions attracting international partnerships to nurture startups and foster a knowledge-based digital economy.
Victoria Ibanga