The Enugu Campus Hackathon 2025 is officially live and it’s more than just a tech event. This first-of-its-kind, state-backed innovation movement is designed to ignite a new generation of African technology leaders. At its core, the hackathon is a call to action: to empower students and young innovators, catalyze digital startups, and build the next wave of transformative ideas — starting right from Enugu.
The program is spearheaded by the Enugu SME Centre and the Office of Digital Economy, an agency under the Enugu State Government. Under the visionary leadership of His Excellency, Dr. Peter Mbah, the initiative is part of a broader commitment to build a digitally enabled, inclusive, and economically competitive Enugu. In partnership with Genesys Tech Hub, The Garage, and Capitis Global Ventures, this landmark program blends strategic public-private collaboration with world-class startup support.
This hackathon also lays the foundation for larger innovation infrastructure projects currently underway — most notably, the upcoming Enugu Tech and Innovation Hub (Norrsken Concept), being developed in partnership with Mr. Pascal Murasira, the Founding Managing Director of Norrsken Kigali House. The Campus Hackathon will serve as a structured pipeline of startups that will be incubated at the hub and supported to scale, globally.
“We’re not just organizing a competition; we’re building an ecosystem. The Enugu Campus Hackathon will shape the next generation of tech founders and position Enugu as a beacon of innovation in Africa.” — Arinze Chilo-Offiah, Special Adviser on Digital Economy & MSMEs / Director-General, Enugu SME Centre
This initiative complements other state-supported tech-forward initiatives such as the Enugu Tech Scholarship (in partnership with AltSchool Africa and Bybit), skills development under the 3MTT initiative, and ongoing reforms to attract global investment in digital infrastructure.
A two-stage competition for future tech leaders
The hackathon will run in two key phases:
- Campus Rounds: Held directly in each of the six participating institutions, these rounds will bring thousands of students together to brainstorm, prototype, and pitch technology-driven solutions to real-world problems. Students will compete for recognition, seed grants, and the opportunity to represent their institutions at the state finals.
- Grand Finale: The top three teams from each campus will proceed to a final statewide competition in Enugu, where they will showcase their solutions before a distinguished panel of investors, founders, technologists, and policymakers.
Tentative Timeline: – Applications Open: July 2025 – Campus Rounds: August–September 2025 – Grand Finale: October 2025 (final venue announcement pending)
Tech for good: Thematic areas that matter
Participants will build projects in areas that align with both global trends and Enugu’s local needs: – Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning – Blockchain and Web3 – Agritech and Smart Cities – Healthcare and Clean Energy – Cybersecurity, GovTech, and FinTech – Education Technology and Digital Inclusion
From smarter supply chains to AI-powered health diagnostics, the focus is on solving hard problems with scalable tech.
More than a prize: A launchpad for startups
The hackathon isn’t just about accolades. With over $100,000 in total funding, winners will gain access to: – Structured cash grants – A 6-month post-hackathon incubation program – Business development tools and mentorship – Technical infrastructure and workspace access – Legal, branding, and investor readiness support
A special Emerging Tech Prize will also be awarded to the most promising application of advanced technologies — reflecting the deep tech expertise brought into the team by Chukwuemeka Afigbo, a renowned ecosystem builder and advocate for transformative technologies.
“It’s exciting to see deep tech take center stage in a student-led hackathon. We want to see bold ideas that explore new frontiers like AI, quantum computing, and decentralization — right from Enugu.” — Chukwuemeka Afigbo, Advisor and Emerging Tech Champion
Enugu Campus Hackathon Team at Godfrey Okoye University Info Session
Human stories in the making
For students like Adaobi N., a final-year Computer Science student at Godfrey Okoye University, this hackathon is more than a challenge — it’s a launchpad
“This is the opportunity I’ve been waiting for,” she shared after the recently concluded campus info-session.
“For the first time in Enugu, I feel like there’s a real platform that sees my potential, supports my dream, and pushes me to turn my ideas into something tangible.”
The program aims to reach over 5,000 students across six universities, identify at least 18 promising startup ideas, and fully incubate 6 top ventures by Q1 2026. These startups will form the backbone of a new generation of Enugu-born companies solving global problems.
Strategic alignment & national relevance
The Enugu Campus Hackathon aligns with Nigeria’s broader innovation vision as captured in the Nigerian Startup Act, the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) program, and the Digital Nigeria agenda. It also supports the Enugu Startup Bill, which is set to be passed into law and will further provide legal backing for the state’s innovation and startup ecosystem.
By empowering student founders and advancing state-supported innovation, the Hackathon directly contributes to national goals around job creation, digital literacy, and technology exports.
Media & community engagement
The competition will be extensively documented and livestreamed through strategic media partners. Local press, tech journalists, and bloggers are invited to attend the grand finale and demo day.
Media Contact: hello@enugucampushackathon.ng
To apply or learn more, visit: www.enugucampushackathon.ng
