By Jessica Dogo
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called for increased investment in locally developed accessible technologies to bridge digital exclusion and unlock opportunities for millions of Nigerians.
The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, made the call at the fourth edition of the NCC Hackathon Live Show on Thursday in Abuja.
The event had the theme: “Technology Without Barriers”.
Maida, represented by the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC, Ms Rimini Makama, said the creativity and ingenuity of young Nigerians remained a major economic resource.
He said the hackathon celebrated youth innovation and reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to ensuring equal access to the digital economy, particularly for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
Maida said World Bank estimates indicated that about 25 million Nigerians experienced at least one form of disability, while about 3.6 million had significant difficulties in functioning.
He said PWDs were twice as likely to be excluded from employment and education, warning that digitalisation could deepen existing inequalities if accessibility was not prioritised.
According to him, barriers to digital technologies could deny PWDs access to connectivity, education, employment, financial services, healthcare and participation in society.
He said Nigeria’s ambition to build a resilient and diversified trillion dollar economy could not be achieved while millions remained excluded by physical, sensory or cognitive barriers.
Maida identified the major challenges confronting PWDs as the cost of devices, inaccessible digital platforms, inadequate digital skills and limited access to affordable assistive technologies.
He said the hackathon provided a platform for developing solutions to these challenges and ensuring that technology removed barriers rather than created new ones.
According to him, accessible technologies could unlock untapped markets, expand consumer participation and bring more Nigerians into the formal economy as creators, entrepreneurs and digital citizens.
He said the initiative was also helping Nigeria move from being a passive importer of foreign software to a creator of locally engineered assistive technologies.
Maida said the solutions developed by participants included indigenous AI powered speech to text technologies, voice enabled public service platforms, accessible USSD solutions and inclusive mobile applications.
He urged the contestants to continue refining and developing their ideas, stressing that competition results should not determine the future of their innovations.
He also called on venture capitalists, telecommunications operators and other stakeholders to support the innovators through investment and partnerships to achieve commercial viability and nationwide adoption.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 20 contestants presented solutions at the hackathon, with five emerging for the grand finale.
Sora emerged overall winner, followed by Clear Signal, Ikor, Axol and Aditus.
Also speaking, Ms Chinyelu Chikwendu, Senior Manager, Strategy and Innovation, MTN Nigeria, commended NCC for supporting innovation and focusing on solutions for PWDs.
Chikwendu said MTN was committed to supporting and employing PWDs and was transitioning from a traditional telecommunications company to a digitally driven organisation.
She added that the company was willing to support startups and promising innovations.
Mr Abdulhaqq Somoye, developer of Sora, said the platform was created to address gaps in existing job recruitment platforms.
Somoye said the solution was also inspired by the Federal Government’s policy requiring most government organisations to allocate at least five per cent of their workforce to PWDs.
He said Sora was designed as a dedicated recruitment platform for PWDs, enabling employers to identify candidates based on their skills and qualifications.(NAN)
Edited by Grace Alegba