Abdul-Jabbar Momoh, the founder of the Nigerian startup Curacel, took home the $10,000 first prize at the inaugural GITEX Nigeria Supernova challenge.
The win, a major highlight of West Africa’s largest tech, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and startup show, reflected Curacel’s innovation in revolutionising health insurance with its AI-driven solutions.
“Placing first at the GITEX Nigeria Supernova challenge gives us more visibility and will fuel our expansion across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and North America,” Momoh stated, reflecting on the win.
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He emphasised the company’s core mission which is to keep on impacting lives in Africa and around the world by deploying solutions to move health insurance distribution.
The Supernova Challenge: Showcasing global talent
The Supernova Challenge, a globally recognised pitch competition, made its regional debut at GITEX Nigeria.
Across two days, over 650 startups from more than 27 countries competed for a total prize pool of $22,000. The competition highlighted game-changing solutions in various sectors, including agritech, cybersecurity, healthtech, and more.
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Curacel’s win in the challenge underscores the potential of Nigerian startups to solve real-world problems with innovative technology.
The company’s AI-driven platform for health insurance was judged to be the most outstanding solution among the finalists, securing not only the top prize but also significant visibility among regional and international investors.
In addition to Curacel’s victory, the Supernova Challenge awarded prizes to several other startups across different categories.
Supernova Challenge winners
Overall winner: Curacel ($10,000)
AI category: Build Africa ($2,000)
Digital finance: InCash ($2,000)
Creative economy & martech: Hadiya ($2,000)
Agritech & Energy: Acecore ($2,000)
Mobility & Smart cities: Kara ($2,000)
Disruptor award: ($2,000)
Nigeria’s digital future takes centre stage
The event, held under the patronage of Bola Ahmed Tinubu showcased the country’s growing tech ecosystem.
Obafemi Hamzat, deputy governor hailed the event’s immediate impact, noting that it “sends an inspirational message to every Nigerian: that many positive things are transpiring across our country and opportunities are here.”
The event was organised by KAOUN International with support from the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
It served as a critical platform for talent development and digital infrastructure projects, all of which are accelerating Nigeria’s ambition to achieve a $1 trillion economy.
Bosun Tijani, minister of communications, innovation and digital economy, reinforced this vision, saying, “The opportunity and responsibility lies with all of us to build a resilient, innovative, and globally connected ecosystem.”
