The Federal Government of Nigeria, in partnership with Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC), is set to launch the Connect NextGen Innovation Hackathon in Nigeria, targeted at upskilling Nigerian youths in modern technologies.
The four-month programme, overseen by the Office of the Vice President, will be launched on Tuesday, February 11, 2026, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The hackathon is a key operational phase of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Nigerian government and Ericsson and is designed to digitally upskill young Nigerians in technologies transforming industries and daily life.
Disclosing this in Abuja on Tuesday, the Office of the Vice President said the programme will help participants turn innovative ideas into practical solutions, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the digital economy, technology integration, and education.
The office stated that the programme combines hands-on mentoring, an eight-week acceleration phase, and practical learning across priority technologies, including 5G, IoT, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and sustainable technologies.
It noted that participants will also develop solutions in digital inclusion, smart cities, agritech, and sustainability, adding that outstanding teams will gain access to accelerators and further incubation opportunities.
To support Nigeria’s digital transformation under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the Office of the Vice President also announced that an Ericsson Educate programme focusing on policymakers in ICT will be launched as part of the rollout.
The office stressed that the hackathon is open to innovators across Nigeria, including university students, startups, and emerging young talent.
Shedding more light on the initiative, Head of Ericsson, West and Southern Africa, Majda Lahlou Kassi, said, “At Ericsson, we are proud to partner with the Federal Government of Nigeria to support the country’s digital transformation journey.
“Through initiatives focused on skills development, alongside our Ericsson Educate programme for policymakers and regulators, we aim to contribute to a stronger digital ecosystem. By bringing together talent development and informed policy dialogue, we support efforts to address connectivity gaps and enable inclusive, sustainable growth.”
Eligible participants are invited to apply via the official registration platform at www.ericssonhackathon.techrevolutionafrica.org, with registrations open from February 11, 2026 to March 10, 2026 nationwide.
