Youth forum bets on innovation to accelerate digital transformation
Through its inaugural hackathon, the Young Business Leaders Group (YBLG) of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) is pushing fresh tech talent to power the country’s digital leap
Held on Thursday in Lagos, the event, tagged, ‘YBLG Hackathon Season 1.0’, brought together innovators, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts to develop creative, technology-based solutions to modern business and social challenges.
With the theme “Tech for Tomorrow: Building Smarter, Safer, and Sustainable Solutions,” the hackathon sought to empower young talents to harness technology for societal transformation while promoting collaboration among professionals and startups.
Abiodun Olawale-Cole, Chairman of YBLG, said the initiative was conceived to give young innovators a platform to shine and potentially create the next generation of successful tech ventures in Nigeria.
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“If a participant from today’s event develops a proposal that becomes a billion-naira idea in the next few years, that would be a huge success for us,” he said.
He added that the hackathon aligns with YBLG’s vision to engage youths meaningfully, nurture their creativity, and encourage solutions that can improve daily life.
“After several brainstorming sessions, our team decided to focus on technology, given how it is driving growth and global relevance for Nigerian businesses,” Olawale-Cole explained.
The YBLG chair highlighted three core objectives for the initiative: empowering young innovators, giving back to society, and strengthening engagement among the business community and youths.
Also speaking, Segun Maghelemi, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Oranos Technologies, praised Nigerian youths for their intelligence and resilience, which he said position the country as a potential global hub for innovation.
“Our creativity and resilience give us a global edge. Nigeria’s financial services industry, for example, has surpassed many developed countries in innovation and efficiency,” he said.
Maghelemi, however, identified insecurity as a major constraint to development and called for improved safety to enable young people to thrive.
He expressed optimism that ongoing economic reforms would yield positive results for the innovation ecosystem.
Chinyere Almona, Director-General of the LCCI, commended the YBLG for championing youth inclusion and creativity through technology.
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“The event is designed to catalyse innovation and provide young people with a platform to showcase their potential. If we have young minds creating solutions, the business world should be ready to apply them,” she stated.
Almona also noted that the initiative bridges the gap between academia and industry, citing the participation of students from institutions such as Caleb University, who worked on real-world business problems using technology-based solutions.
At the end of the competition, cash prizes and business support packages were awarded to outstanding participants to help scale their ideas into viable ventures.
Organisers said the hackathon forms part of YBLG’s mission to drive digital transformation and empower young entrepreneurs to create innovative solutions that promote smarter, safer, and more sustainable living in Nigeria.
