Nigeria’s growing reputation as a powerhouse of young technological talent was once again on display in Lagos, where Team Block X from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) emerged as the overall winner of the HabariPay Squad Hackathon 3.0, securing the competition’s N5 million grand prize.
Held at the GTCentre in Victoria Island, the event brought together hundreds of student innovators, developers, designers, and entrepreneurs from across the country in what has become one of the nation’s notable platforms for discovering and supporting future-facing digital solutions.
This year’s edition, themed “Smart Systems: The Intelligent Economy,” challenged participants to create intelligent, data-driven products capable of transforming how people and communities interact with money in an increasingly digital world. The focus stretched across sectors including healthcare, commerce, financial services, and digital inclusion, reflecting the expanding role of technology in solving practical African problems.
For Team Block X, the victory highlighted the depth of technical capacity steadily emerging from Nigerian universities, where young innovators continue to build solutions despite limited infrastructure and resources.
The winning team featured Platform and Systems Engineer Treasure Uvietobore, Frontend and Machine Learning Developer Naheem Olaide, and AI and Machine Learning Engineer Enoch Idowu. Their winning innovation, “Guild,” is an AI-powered platform designed to connect informal workers with employers while also integrating them into digital financial services. The solution stood out for its practical relevance and its attempt to bridge economic inclusion gaps using intelligent technology. Their triumph was announced during the closing ceremony attended by executives of HabariPay and GTCO Plc.
Speaking during the event, Managing Director of HabariPay, Eduofon Japhet, revealed the scale of participation the hackathon attracted nationwide. According to her, applications opened over a month before the event and were restricted to undergraduates in Nigerian universities.
“We had over 1,600 submissions and we selected over 600. But today, a bit over 500 were able to come. I’m impressed by the turnout,” she said while addressing journalists.
Beyond the numbers, Japhet said the initiative showcases a deliberate investment in the next generation of African innovators. She noted that the rapidly evolving digital economy demands continuous innovation capable of shaping businesses, economies, and societies.
“We are deliberately investing in the ideas and talent that will define the future,” she stated. “Our objective is not simply to encourage innovation, but to enable its translation into scalable solutions that deliver real and measurable impact.”
She further explained that the hackathon aligns with GTCO’s broader vision of functioning as a financial services platform that connects “capital, capability, and creativity” to drive sustainable development.
Now in its third edition, the “Take on Squad” Hackathon has increasingly positioned itself as a launchpad for emerging technology talents across Nigeria. Participants at this year’s event were tasked with leveraging Squad’s APIs to build scalable digital products capable of addressing everyday challenges affecting businesses and individuals.
Japhet described the social coding event as a core part of HabariPay’s mission to strengthen creativity and problem-solving among young Nigerian tech talents, adding that innovation must move beyond concepts into practical solutions with measurable relevance.
Also speaking at the event, Group Chief Executive Officer of GTCO Plc, Segun Agbaje, praised the participants for demonstrating world-class capability and resilience.
“You are not just among the brightest minds in Nigeria; you are among the finest talents anywhere in the world,” Agbaje said. “If this hackathon were held in any country, your skills, ideas, and determination would still earn you a place here.”
He added that the competition exists to provide visibility for exceptionally talented young people whose abilities often go unnoticed despite their brilliance.
As Nigeria’s digital ecosystem continues to evolve, gatherings like Squad Hackathon 3.0 are becoming increasingly significant, not merely as competitions, but as evidence that the country’s innovation pipeline remains active, ambitious, and globally competitive.
In many ways, the atmosphere in Lagos over the weekend reinforced a familiar reality: across Nigerian campuses and communities are young builders, coders, engineers, and creators already shaping the foundations of Africa’s next technological chapter.
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