SORA has emerged as the winner of the 4th edition of the Nigerian Communications Commission’s Hackathon Live Show for 2026.The platform won the N3 million grand prize after beating 19 other teams. Clear Signal came second with N2 million, while IKOR finished third and got N1 million. All other teams also went home with consolation prizes and certificates.
The 2-day event had the theme “Technology Without Barriers” and brought together 20 teams of young developers, students, entrepreneurs, and persons with disabilities. The goal was to build tech solutions that help PWDs and other underserved groups participate fully in the digital economy.
SORA won for building an inclusive job-matching and skills platform for verified persons with disabilities in Nigeria. Clear Signal took second for creating accessible electricity outage alerts for blind and deaf users via calls, SMS and visual alerts. IKOR placed third with an AI voice-to-text tool designed to work even with poor internet and no expensive devices.Speaking at the event, NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, said the Commission is focused on using innovation to tackle digital exclusion. Represented by Rimini Makama, ECSM, 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.”
Dr. Maida added that “technology should not create new barriers; at its best, technology should remove them,” noting that cost of devices, low digital skills and lack of assistive tools are still major problems.Other speakers including Helen Obi, Director Digital Economy at NCC, MTN’s Chinyelu Chikwendu, and CBN’s Amadi Kenneth all praised the initiative and pledged support to help scale the solutions.The NCC said it will continue to support local tech and ensure that the benefits of the digital economy reach all Nigerians, especially PWDs.
Source: NCC Public Affairs Department
