The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is committed to promoting inclusive digital innovation and ensuring that technology serves all Nigerians, including Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
The Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC, Ms Rimini Makama, said this at the fourth edition of the NCC Hackathon Live Show 2026, themed “Technology without Barriers”, on Wednesday in Abuja.
It was reported that 20 contestants participated in the hackathon, with five emerging to compete in the grand finale scheduled for Thursday.
Makama, represented by the Director, Zonal Operations, NCC, Mr Usman Malah, said the hackathon was more than a technology competition.
She said it demonstrated the commission’s commitment to building an inclusive digital society where innovation improved lives, expanded opportunities and empowered everyone to participate meaningfully in the digital economy.
She also said that the initiative showcased young innovators developing practical technological solutions to societal challenges, particularly those affecting PWDs and other underserved communities.
According to her, the NCC remains committed to fostering innovation, promoting indigenous technological development and ensuring that digital transformation is inclusive, accessible and beneficial to Nigerians.
Makama said PWDs and other underserved populations still face barriers in accessing communication services, education, healthcare, financial services, employment opportunities and government platforms.
She noted that such challenges require innovative solutions that are affordable, practical and responsive to Nigeria’s realities.
She also said that participants would develop solutions in areas including Artificial Intelligence (AI), assistive technologies, voice-enabled communication systems, sign language recognition and accessible digital services.
She added that the hackathon would strengthen collaboration among government, academia, industry, startups and the innovation community in developing technologies that addressed national priorities.
The executive commissioner further said that investing in young innovators was an investment in Nigeria’s future, noting that successful technology ecosystems were built on creativity, resilience and determination.
She urged participants to focus on developing solutions that were simple to use, affordable, scalable and capable of improving the quality of life of millions of Nigerians.
Earlier, the Director, Digital Economy, NCC, Mrs Helen Obi, said the hackathon demonstrated the commission’s commitment to promoting indigenous content, developing homegrown solutions and building assistive technologies for universal access.
Obi said the initiative sought to address the needs of PWDs and people in rural communities who had been excluded from actively participating in the digital economy.
She added that the focus areas included AI speech-to-text, real-time sign language translation, voice complaint systems, accessible customer-care services, USSD services, image-to-voice navigation and inclusive job-matching platforms.
She further said that the initiative targeted FCT-based innovators, particularly Nigerians aged 18 to 25, software developers, researchers, students, entrepreneurs and PWDs.
She said solutions would be assessed based on innovation, accessibility, relevance, technical feasibility, scalability, affordability, sustainability, indigenous value addition, presentation and team capacity.
“Expected outcomes include startup creation, local intellectual property development, promotion of indigenous innovation and stronger public-private sector collaboration,” she said.
Obi reiterated that the overall objective of the hackathon was to create inclusive digital opportunities for every Nigerian, regardless of physical ability, location or background.
The programme brought together innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, developers, students and technology enthusiasts to develop practical solutions aimed at improving digital accessibility for PWDs.
