By Cyber Era Correspondent
Driven largely by compassion and a typographical error on a public interest advisory on its website, https://www.ncc.ov.ng, telecommunications sector umpire, the Nigerian Communications Commission has extended the duration for submission of proposals to its Virtual Hackathon by three more days.
The Commission has noted the inconsistency between the date July 17, 2020 and the day (Monday), being deadline for submission of the Virtual Hackathon proposals, as stated on the Commission’s website. But for the inconsistency, the proposal would have ended Friday, July 17.
“Arising from this, the deadline for submission is hereby extended to 5pm on Monday, 20th July, 2020,” stated the NCC.
This medium had earlier reported under the headline NCC Holds Hackathon For Tech Hubs Startups And Digital Innovation SMEs : Telecommunications regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission(NCC) in its determination to raise new digital soldiers and boost the existing digital soldiers that would help Nigeria win the digital battle and become a global competitive digital economy, is organizing a Hackathon for potential recruits into its digital digital army.
“Pursuant to this objective, the Commission invites entries from Tech Hubs, Startups and Innovation Digital SMEs with promising and adaptable Digital Solutions that will aid in containing the impacts of pandemic and epidemic-prone diseases in Nigeria to a virtual Hackathon. The top three Startups with the most promising Digital Solutions will receive a grant of N3, 000,000.00 (Three Million Naira) each from the Commission to aid the development and deployment of these Solutions in Nigeria,” information on the Commission’s website, www.ncc.gov.ng, says .
NCC supports amongst other things, the development of Innovative services and Life changing Solutions leveraging on Information Communications Technologies (ICTs) to promote Indigenous Content Development, economic growth and social advancement in Nigeria.
Interested applicants will need to have Solutions that address issues in the under listed fields of interest:
• Health: finding ways to empower Healthcare workers on the front lines and bring support to individuals isolated at home. It should also include solutions to prevent, trace and contain the spread of Coronavirus in Nigeria.
• Community: help with digital communications that will aid the sustenance of economic activities and people to people communication while encouraging social distancing.
• Productivity: Enhance productivity of people working from home during this Lockdown and beyond.
• Education: Easy to Deploy, accessible and cost effective eLearning Solutions for Public Schools.
• Transportation: Improve safety in public transportation facilities in Nigeria.
Evaluation Criteria
The criteria for evaluation of the proposed Digital Solutions include the following:
• Adherence of proposal to stated requirements above.
• Novelty of the proposed Digital Solution.
• Clear problem Statement and explanation of the proposed Solution.
• Each Solution including prototype development must be concluded within 2 months of receipt of the Grant.
• Proof of concept (feasibility of idea with diagram, algorithm, etc.).
Submission Of Proposal
Submissions will undergo preliminary assessment. The proposals that are adjudged most promising and capable of positively impacting the fight against COVID-19 may be invited for defense of the proposals before a decision is taken on winners.
Interested Tech Hubs, Startups and Innovation Digital SMEs are invited to submit soft copies (email to yikabir@ncc.gov.ng; fbruce@ncc.gov.ng; chimezie@ncc.gov.ng) on or before 5pm, Monday 17th July, 2020. Please note that all emails should indicate ‘Digital Solutions for Covid-19’ in the subject field.
Any proposal submitted after the deadline will be rejected automatically.
For more enquiries please contact: 08020978407 or 08036101044
