Through its inaugural Hackathon, the Young Business Leaders Group (YBLG) of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) is harnessing new tech talents to fuel the country’s digital leap.
The event titled ‘YBLG Hackathon Season 1.0’, held on Thursday in Lagos, brought together innovators, entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts to develop creative, technology-based solutions to modern business and societal challenges.
With the theme “Tech for Tomorrow: Building Smarter, Safer, and Sustainable Solutions”, the hackathon sought to empower young talents to use technology for social change while promoting collaboration between professionals and startups.
Abiodun Olawale-Cole, Chairman of YBLG, said the initiative was conceived to give young innovators a platform to shine and potentially create the next generation of successful tech enterprises in Nigeria.
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“If any of the participants in today’s program develops a proposal that becomes a billion-naira idea in the next few years, it will be a huge success for us,” he said.
He said that the hackathon is in line with YBLG's vision of meaningfully engaging the youth, nurturing their creativity and encouraging solutions that improve daily lives.
“After several brainstorming sessions, our team decided to focus on technology, seeing how it is driving growth and global relevance for Nigerian businesses,” Olawale-Cole explained.
The YBLG President highlighted the three main objectives of the initiative: empowering young innovators, giving back to the society, and strengthening connections between the business community and youth.
Also speaking, Segun Maghelemi, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Ouranos Technologies, praised Nigerian youth for their intelligence and resilience, saying the country has been positioned as a potential global hub for innovation.
“Our creativity and flexibility give us a global edge. For example, Nigeria's financial services industry has outpaced many developed countries in innovation and efficiency,” he said.
However, Maghelemi identified insecurity as a major obstacle to development and called for better security to enable youth to move forward.
He expressed hope that the ongoing economic reforms will yield positive results for the innovation ecosystem.
LCCI Director General Chinyere Almona commended YBLG for promoting youth inclusion and creativity through technology.
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He said, “The event is designed to inspire innovation and provide a platform for the youth to showcase their potential. If we have young minds creating solutions, the business world must be ready to implement them.”
Almona also said the initiative bridges the gap between academia and industry, citing the participation of students from institutions such as Caleb University, who worked on real-world business problems using technology-based solutions.
At the end of the competition, outstanding participants were awarded cash prizes and business support packages to help them transform their ideas into viable enterprises.
Organizers said the hackathon is part of YBLG's mission to spur digital transformation and empower young entrepreneurs to create innovative solutions that promote smarter, safer and more sustainable lives in Nigeria.
