The second edition of the hackathon builds on the success of last year's Urban Mobility Hackathon in Ghana and similar hackathons in Zambia, DR Congo, and Mozambique. The Accra event showcased the innovation and enthusiasm of Ghana’s growing data science community. Many outstanding students present at the physical event were awarded with prizes such as cash, power banks, external hard drives, thermal flasks and laptop bags.

Speaking on the impact of the Ghana Hackathon, Hon. Samuel Nartey - George, The Minister of Communications and Digital Innovation, Republic of Ghana, expressed his admiration for the initiative and urged the participants to work hard and come up with solutions that are rooted in the context and nuances of the African continent.

He said:

The true measure of our innovation lies not only in the brilliance of our ideas but in their relevance to the unique challenges we face as a continent. Let us harness our creativity to create solutions that speak to the heart of Africa’s needs. This Hackathon is a great initiative and I want to urge all the participants to be bold, built and proudly African in their solutions. The government of Ghana is digital in its thinking and fully behind you on this journey

Tom Ofonime, the Country Manager for Yango Ride in Ghana, shared insights into the company's commitment to technological innovation within the urban mobility sector. 

He remarked:

At Yango, we prioritize cutting-edge technology at the core of our services. Our foundation lies in being a technology company, fueled by a team of creators, data scientists, and STEM enthusiasts. One key challenge is accurately predicting travel times, which is fundamental modern day mobility. Providing reliable estimated times of arrival (ETAs) is crucial for customer satisfaction, optimizing routes, and effectively allocating drivers—all of which significantly elevate the user experience. I am particularly passionate about geospatial data analytics, and I'm hopeful that students engaged in this unique learning opportunity will continue to explore the vast possibilities in ICT.

Mawuena Agbesi, a final year computer engineering student at The University of Ghana highlighted the importance of the hackathon to her and her peers.

She said:

For many of us, this was our very first hackathon and it proved to be a very memorable experience. As one of the few females to participate this year, I felt a deep sense of responsibility and inspiration to advocate for women in STEM. This hackathon was an outstanding experience overall - challenging yet rewarding, providing invaluable insights and serving as a significant milestone in our personal and professional growth.

This year's Hackathon expands upon various corporate social responsibility initiatives in technology and education that the company has previously implemented. Notably, the Yango Education Program provided hundreds of Ghanaians with free access to courses in data analytics, focusing on Python and SQL. Looking ahead, Yango plans to introduce and develop more impactful technology and educational projects in Ghana in the years to come.