eHealth Africa, in a significant collaborative effort with Colab Innovation Hub and the Kaduna Bureau of Statistics, is set to host a groundbreaking event named #KadHack2018. This first-of-its-kind hackathon in Kaduna, Nigeria, centers around the crucial theme: “Developing Solutions for Sustainable Social Development.”

The primary objective of #KadHack2018 is to create a dynamic platform for technology sector stakeholders to engage directly with the Kaduna state government. Participants will gain invaluable firsthand insight into the prevailing challenges within the Education and Health sectors. This understanding is intended to spur the development of innovative software prototypes, which can then be further refined and scaled to provide tangible solutions to these identified problems. Crucially, these prototypes will be built by leveraging the robust data collected during phase one of the GRID3 project.

The hackathon is structured into two distinct categories to maximize participation and reach. The first is a 3-day on-site hackathon, scheduled to take place at the Kaduna ICT Hub, located at 47 Kanta Road, Kaduna, Nigeria, from November 27th to November 29th, 2018. Concurrently, an online hackathon has been organized to accommodate participants residing outside the state, with its submission deadline also set for November 29th, 2018.

Generous prize money has been allocated to incentivize innovation. For the on-site hackathon, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd best prototypes will receive N1,000,000, N750,000, and N500,000 respectively. Similarly, the online hackathon offers prizes of N500,000 for 1st place, N300,000 for 2nd place, and N200,000 for 3rd place.

Adam Thompson, Executive Director of eHealth Africa, emphasized the organization's commitment, stating, “for eHealth Africa, #KadHack2018 is a great way to engage the tech community in developing solutions that improve planning and decision making for healthcare, education, and economic development projects in Kaduna State. We’re excited to see what innovative solutions can be derived from the data systems that we’ve worked hard to put together.” Adding to this sentiment, Sanusi Ismaila, CEO of Colab, noted, “Our main goal, has always been to help build a technology ecosystem in and around Kaduna to help solve some of the local challenges. #KadHack2018 presents a perfect platform to help move the needle in that regard, and who better to join forces with, than eHealth Africa, who has been solving the health problem using technology on an unprecedented scale.”

While the hackathon promotes equal opportunity, prospective participants are expected to possess experience working with APIs. Interested individuals can find additional details and register for the event through the provided registration portal. The deadline for all hackathon registrations is November 20th, 2018.

eHealth Africa is dedicated to fortifying health systems through the design and deployment of data-driven solutions tailored to local needs, empowering underserved communities with the tools for healthier lives. With its headquarters in Kano and operations spanning across West Africa, eHealth Africa is a pioneer in integrating information, technology, and logistics to elevate standards in healthcare delivery and emergency response.

Colab stands as Kaduna state’s inaugural innovation hub and co-working space. Beyond offering co-working services and serving as a launchpad for startups, its talent acceleration division is committed to cultivating a robust ecosystem by developing skilled software engineers, data scientists, and designers.