The founder of Codefest International, a technology-driven investment firm, and president of the Codefest Institute of Technology, Abakaliki, Mr. Moss Uromtah, has announced that his organisation has empowered more than 10,000 residents of Ebonyi State through digital literacy programs and job placement initiatives.
Mr Uromtah highlighted this achievement as part of his commitment to equipping the local population with the skills necessary to thrive in the evolving digital economy. The initiative aims to bridge the digital divide and foster sustainable employment opportunities in the state.
Mr Uromtah, who disclosed this in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, southeast Nigeria, during the launching of the first Ebonyi Hackathon in the area, explained that Codefest International was brought to Ebonyi State in 2022, adding that since then, the organisation has empowered over 10,000 beneficiaries in the state, cutting across secondary school students, those in the higher institutions, and even the working class.
He noted that Codefest Institute of Technology offers several programs in digital literacy, certification, job placement, and internships, among others. He observed that Ebonyi State has made tremendous records in infrastructure development, especially on road and bridge projects, insisting that the state needs to join the new trend of Information and Communication Technology.
He said, “We have roads and bridges, and people from other states who have come to Ebonyi have testified that, but we need information. Go to Lagos and other states; you see, our brothers are known as industrialists. Some are hawking, but that is our highest level of entrepreneurship as Ebonyians. This can be eased when we key into the trend. You know the trend now is not heavy or hard work; the trend now is digital, soft work. So, we started the concept of transforming into digital Ebonyi, and that’s what Codefest is all about.”
The entrepreneur further said, “Everybody is aware, and a good number of people have been keying in, and we have been empowering ourselves with the technology. That’s the inspiration because I can’t be out there doing things in India and other countries, and even in Lagos, while my Ebonyi will not have a seal of digital drive. That’s why we started the Ebonyi Hackathon, which is the platform that will expose tech-driven talents. Every tech-driven talent we see in Ebonyi, we are going to showcase them to the world.
“A hackathon is a technology competition, as the marathon is a competition for runners, but a hackathon is a tech competition. In a marathon, you go and run and win the prize, but in a hackathon, you come and code and the right code in programming wins the prize,” he explained.
Called for sponsorship of the project, while noting that a huge financial budget is required to facilitate it.
In a keynote address, a university Don, Prof. Ugochukwu Osisiogu, observed that the technological landscape in Ebonyi State is on the rise, having a huge number of young, talented individuals who are keen to innovate and contribute to the technological advancement of the state.
He observed that solutions related to e-governance, agriculture, and smart city initiatives could significantly improve the conditions of the state and explained that the Ebonyi Hackathon was ultimately designed to promote technology progress, improve skill development, and stimulate economic growth in Ebonyi and other southeastern states of Nigeria.
Prof. Osisiogu also said that Hackathon was founded on the vision of encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship in the area, providing youths with the chance to tackle real-world problems, pointing out that the event sought to unite developers, designers, and entrepreneurs to collaboratively devise solutions that would benefit the local communities.
He expressed optimism that the participants in the hackathon would tackle critical challenges such as healthcare access, educational disparities, environmental sustainability, and youth unemployment in Ebonyi, considering its program plans, which included access to mentorship, technical resources, and funding opportunities through collaborations with local businesses, government entities, and development organisations.
Lending his voice, the Chief Executive Officer of Tripberry.com, Vinod Kaurani, commended the initiatives of Codefest International and advised the Ebonyi State government to endorse the initiative by providing an enabling environment for business to flourish in the state.
He said, “Ebonyi is a tourism destination for Nigeria, but this can happen if the state government allows private companies to come in and operate, ensuring it creates an enabling environment for business to flourish in the state.”
Dr Hillary Nweli, a lecturer at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, also called for the government and well-meaning individuals to support the investors by instituting awards to honour the best-performing teams, which have demonstrated their commitment to fostering innovation and technological progress in Ebonyi State and beyond.
