Ogun Digital Summit opens applications for ₦5m hackathon to young Nigerian innovators

The Ogun Digital Summit (ODS) 2026 has opened applications for its hackathon to young developers, innovators and entrepreneurs across Nigeria. The top three teams will share ₦5 million.

Winners of the competition, whose aim is to back solutions to real problems facing businesses and communities, will also get support well beyond the cash prize.

The hackathon is part of the seventh edition of the summit, which will take place from November 25 to 27 at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta. The hackathon itself will take place on the first day at Ogun Tech Hub, Kobape, also in Abeokuta.

Teams will build and demonstrate solutions in six sectors: fintech, edtech, proptech and real estate, healthtech and telemedicine, agritech and food security, and AI/ML.

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What do the winning teams get?

Beyond the ₦5 million prize pool, the top three teams will receive cloud computing credits, Zoho credits, workspace opportunities and an eight-week mentorship programme.

Organisers say that is deliberate. Many technology competitions end once the prizes are handed out, but the ODS hackathon is structured to help participants keep developing their products afterwards.

Why is the Ogun Digital Summit hackathon focusing on young talent outside Lagos?

According to Ogun Digital Summit convener Victor Adeleye, the biggest challenge for talented young people beyond Lagos’ tech ecosystem isn’t a shortage of ideas. It is limited access to the networks, resources and opportunities needed to develop them.

The hackathon is designed to identify promising innovators and give them a platform where their abilities can attract meaningful support. The organisers say the summit wants to move beyond conversations about innovation to providing practical resources that help young people turn ideas into viable products and businesses.

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The summit has run since 2020 and has connected young Nigerians with technology leaders, entrepreneurs, investors and industry professionals.

The 2026 edition will also feature a showcase of innovations in the ecosystem, a main technology conference, networking sessions and a gala night for stakeholders across the innovation ecosystem.

Interested participants can register for the hackathon on the summit’s website. Registration for the main event is separate.