By Anthony Emeka Nwosu
In a world rapidly moving toward digital transformation, Nigeria is positioning itself at the forefront of Africa’s digital revolution. Reflecting this ambition, Codefest, an indigenous IT firm, recently hosted its much-anticipated hackathon, bringing together some of the country’s brightest startup minds to showcase their innovations, attract investors, and gain exposure. The event also highlighted what Nigeria already has in place in terms of digital solutions and explored ways to thrust the country further into global technological leadership.
The event, held at the University of Lagos, provided a platform for creators to present solutions across fintech, education, health, crime reporting, and agriculture.
Among the notable projects was Gani, an app designed by a Hausa-speaking team to support decision-making in daily life. In the education sector, Ultimo offers a reward-based platform aimed at helping university students stay focused and navigate the full academic ecosystem.
In fintech, Gestpay introduced a digital finance app featuring face and voice recognition, eliminating the need for PINs. The app allows users to make payments, resolve payment issues, and integrates seamlessly with other web payment systems, offering geo-verification and an effortless user experience. Luke Vault also presented tools to help artisans and individuals build financial security.
Healthcare innovations included Pandora, an AI-powered medical consultant designed to support doctors and provide care in remote areas, and VitaLink, which enables rural clinics to offer remote healthcare solutions.
Addressing public safety, ShoutOut! was unveiled as a crime-reporting app that allows users to report incidents anonymously, evaluate situations, and alert nearby security. Meanwhile, Food Alert tackles food security by monitoring water levels in rivers and providing early flood warnings to help farmers make informed decisions.
In agriculture, Agro-Karfi empowers small-scale farmers with guidance on planting, harvesting, and seasonal decisions, effectively acting as a digital agricultural extension officer.
The Codefest 2025 hackathon drew investors, media, and students, highlighting Nigeria’s youth as active participants in the global push toward digital innovation. By showcasing homegrown solutions and exploring ways to expand their impact, the event underscored the country’s capacity to accelerate its technological progress.
Codefest 2025 is being hailed as a one-of-a-kind platform for app developers and innovators dedicated to addressing pressing national issues through technology.
