Babcock University is set to launch a ₦10 million hackathon as part of its 2026 Babcock Tech Week (BTW), opening the competition to both its students and participants from outside the university, in what is shaping up to be one of the most inclusive student innovation events in Nigeria.
The event, scheduled to hold from March 22 to 28, 2026, is organised by the Babcock University Computer Club in collaboration with the Finance Students Association, Google Developer Groups on Campus, Babcock, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Babcock. While the week will feature multiple activities, the hackathon remains its centrepiece, drawing attention for both its prize pool and its open participation model.
According to the Convener, Dunmade Majuyi, the Tethered Hackathon is a ₦10 million competition designed to attract a wide range of talents across disciplines and institutions. The prize structure includes ₦4,000,000 for first place, ₦2,000,000 for second place, and ₦1,000,000 for third place, alongside additional rewards for technical and vertical excellence.
Beyond the financial incentives, the hackathon introduces a structural requirement aimed at driving collaboration across fields. “Every competing team must include at least one student from outside the School of Computing — a structural requirement that ensures the competition rewards genuine cross-disciplinary thinking, not just technical execution,” Majuyi explained.
The competition is part of the broader theme for BTW 2026, “Tethered — Connected Across Disciplines,” which reflects the organisers’ focus on bridging gaps between technology and other sectors such as finance, health, and society. Majuyi described the theme as “a deliberate acknowledgement that the most consequential work happening at the intersection of technology, finance, health, and society cannot be done by any single discipline alone.”
Participation is not limited to Babcock students, as both the hackathon and pitchathon have been opened to external participants. This approach is expected to significantly expand the event’s reach and diversity, positioning it as a national platform for emerging innovators.
“There is a generation of builders at Babcock that the industry hasn’t fully met yet,” said Obata Onyelukachukwu, Head of Partnerships and External Relations for BTW 2026. “BTW is where that meeting happens. The organisations that will show up aren’t just doing students a favour — they’re getting early access to the most exciting talent pipeline in this country, before it belongs to anyone else.”
Alongside the hackathon, the week will also feature a full-day Career Fair scheduled for Tuesday, March 24, 2026. The fair will be open to students across all disciplines as well as external attendees, creating direct opportunities for internships and employment connections.
BTW 2026 will also host panel discussions covering Africa’s digital future, funding innovation, and capital markets, with confirmed speakers including Ayotunde Coker, Ayo Adegboye, Ifeoluwa Sobogun, and Fatumata Coker.
