By Media360Impact
SORA has emerged winner of the fourth edition of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Hackathon Live Show 2026, securing the N3 million grand prize for developing an inclusive technology platform designed to connect persons with disabilities to employment and skills development opportunities.
Clear Signal came second and received N2 million, while IKOR finished third and won N1 million.
The winners were announced at the conclusion of the two-day hackathon, themed “Technology Without Barriers,” which brought together 20 teams comprising innovators, software developers, entrepreneurs, researchers, students and persons with disabilities from across Nigeria.
SORA’s winning solution is an inclusive job-matching and adaptive skills platform for verified persons with disabilities. The platform is designed to connect users with employment opportunities while providing access to relevant skills development resources.
Clear Signal’s solution focuses on accessible electricity outage communication. Its system enables blind, visually impaired, deaf and hard-of-hearing electricity consumers to receive power outage alerts through voice calls, text messages and visual notifications.
IKOR, which placed third, developed an artificial intelligence-powered voice dictation and writing tool aimed at reducing barriers created by expensive hardware, poor internet connectivity and the challenges associated with physical typing.
All participating teams received consolation prizes and certificates for their contributions to digital inclusion and accessible technology development.
‘Young Nigerians Are Nigeria’s Next Major Oil Field’
Speaking on behalf of the NCC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Aminu Maida, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, described young Nigerian innovators as a critical resource for the country’s economic future.
“Nigeria’s next major oil field is not buried under our soil or offshore in the Atlantic Ocean. It is here, in the ideas, ingenuity, brilliance and determination of the young Nigerians gathered in this room today,” Makama said.
Maida identified the high cost of digital devices, inadequate digital skills, limited access to assistive technologies and poor accessibility features on some digital platforms as significant barriers to digital participation.
He said technology should remove barriers rather than create them, describing the hackathon as a strategic platform for developing practical solutions capable of supporting a more digitally inclusive society.
The NCC chief also called on investors, telecommunications operators and other stakeholders to support the commercialisation and scaling of promising innovations emerging from the programme.
According to him, accessible technologies could open new markets, expand consumer participation and enable more Nigerians to participate in the formal economy as entrepreneurs, creators and digital citizens.
NCC Highlights Indigenous Innovation
The Director of the NCC Digital Economy Department, Helen Obi, said the hackathon was established to promote indigenous innovation while advancing digital inclusion and universal access.
She said the participating teams developed solutions addressing challenges across healthcare, education, emergency communication, accessible USSD services, AI-powered sign-language translation, voice-enabled services and assistive technologies for visually impaired people.
Obi also highlighted the NCC’s Indigenous Hackathon Judge Software, developed to automate and standardise the judging process.
At the opening ceremony, Makama, represented by the Director of Zonal Operations, Usman Malah, said the initiative reflected the Commission’s commitment to building an inclusive digital society where technology creates opportunities for everyone.
She challenged participants to develop solutions that are affordable, scalable, user-friendly and capable of delivering measurable social impact.
Stakeholders Back Inclusive Technology
In a goodwill message, Chinyelu Chikwendu, Senior Manager, Strategy and Innovation at MTN Nigeria, commended the NCC for supporting innovation, startups and technology solutions aimed at improving lives, particularly those addressing the needs of persons with disabilities.
Eneh Omawumi, Head of the Gender Desk Unit at the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, also praised the Commission for promoting innovation, empowerment and inclusion.
Similarly, Amadi Kenneth of the Consumer Protection and Financial Inclusion Department of the Central Bank of Nigeria said several of the solutions presented at the hackathon showed strong potential to deepen financial inclusion among women, youths, persons with disabilities and other underserved groups.
Kenneth said the CBN was willing to collaborate with the NCC and participating innovators to explore solutions capable of advancing digital and financial inclusion across Nigeria.
The NCC said it would continue to work with technical partners, mentors, judges and other stakeholders to strengthen indigenous technology development and ensure that the benefits of Nigeria’s growing digital economy are accessible to all citizens.
