By: Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja.

SORA has emerged overall winner of the fourth edition of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Hackathon Live Show 2026, winning the N3 million grand prize for its innovative solution aimed at promoting employment and skills development for persons with disabilities.

Clear Signal came second and received N2 million, while IKOR placed third with a N1 million prize.

The winners were announced at the conclusion of the two-day hackathon themed “Technology Without Barriers,” which brought together 20 teams comprising young innovators, software developers, entrepreneurs, researchers, students and persons with disabilities from across the country.

The competition was designed to develop practical technology solutions capable of addressing accessibility challenges and expanding digital participation among persons with disabilities and other underserved communities.

SORA, the winning innovation, is an inclusive job-matching and adaptive skills platform designed for verified persons with disabilities in Nigeria. It connects users with employment opportunities and skills-development resources.

Clear Signal, which emerged second, provides accessible electricity outage alerts for blind, visually impaired, deaf and hard-of-hearing consumers through voice calls, text messages and visual notifications.

IKOR, the third-placed solution, is an artificial intelligence-powered voice dictation and writing tool designed to address barriers arising from expensive hardware, poor internet connectivity and physical typing.

Beyond the top three winners, all participating teams received consolation prizes and certificates of participation in recognition of their contributions to digital inclusion and accessible technology development.

Speaking on the initiative, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said the Commission remained committed to using innovation to tackle digital exclusion and ensure that all Nigerians, particularly persons with disabilities and underserved communities, could participate meaningfully in the digital economy.

Represented at the event by the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, Maida described young Nigerian innovators as a critical resource for the country’s future development.

He said: “Nigeria’s next major oil field is not buried under our soil or offshore in the Atlantic Ocean. It is here, in the ideas, ingenuity, brilliance and determination of the young Nigerians gathered in this room today.”

Maida identified the cost of devices, inadequate digital skills, limited access to assistive technologies and poor accessibility features on some digital platforms as persistent barriers to digital participation.

According to him, “Technology should not create new barriers; at its best, technology should remove them.”

He said the Hackathon provided a strategic platform for developing practical solutions to accessibility challenges while advancing the NCC’s vision of a digitally inclusive society.

The NCC boss also highlighted the economic benefits of accessible technology, saying such innovations could unlock untapped markets and bring more Nigerians into the formal economy.

“When we design assistive and accessible technologies, we are unlocking massive untapped markets, expanding consumer participation, and bringing millions of hardworking Nigerians into the formal economy as creators, entrepreneurs, and confident digital citizens,” he said.

He therefore called on investors, telecommunications operators and other stakeholders to support the commercialisation of promising innovations emerging from the programme.

Earlier, at the opening ceremony, Makama, represented by the Director, Zonal Operations, Usman Malah, said the Hackathon reflected the Commission’s commitment to building an inclusive digital society where technology creates opportunities for everyone.

She said the true measure of technological advancement should not be limited to the sophistication of innovations but also their ability to improve lives, expand opportunities and empower people to participate meaningfully in the digital economy.

Makama urged participants to develop solutions that were affordable, scalable, user-friendly and impactful.

The Director, Digital Economy Department, NCC, Helen Obi, said the Hackathon was conceived to promote indigenous innovation while advancing digital inclusion and universal access.

Obi disclosed that participants developed solutions addressing challenges in healthcare, education, emergency communications, accessible USSD services, AI-powered sign-language translation, voice-enabled services and assistive technologies for visually impaired persons.

She also highlighted the Commission’s indigenous NCC Hackathon Judge Software, developed to automate and standardise the judging process.

In a goodwill message, Chinyelu Chikwendu, Senior Manager, Strategy and Innovation at MTN Nigeria, commended the NCC for what she described as “a regulator with a difference,” noting that the Commission not only provides regulatory oversight but also actively supports the growth of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

She praised the focus of the Hackathon on persons with disabilities and reaffirmed MTN’s commitment to supporting innovation, startups and solutions capable of improving lives.

Also speaking, Eneh Omawumi, Head of the Gender Desk Unit at the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, commended the NCC for promoting innovation, empowerment and inclusion through the programme.

Similarly, Amadi Kenneth of the Consumer Protection and Financial Inclusion Department of the Central Bank of Nigeria said several of the solutions presented had strong potential to deepen financial inclusion for women, youths, persons with disabilities and other underserved groups.

Kenneth expressed the CBN’s willingness to collaborate with the NCC and innovators from the programme to deploy some of the solutions in advancing digital and financial inclusion across Nigeria.

Maida commended the technical partners, mentors, judges and other stakeholders who contributed to the success of the Hackathon, reiterating the NCC’s commitment to strengthening indigenous content development, supporting local technology ecosystems and ensuring that the benefits of the digital economy are accessible to all Nigerians.