Winners Emerge at Cavista Technologies Hackathon 2025
Funmi Ogundare
Winners have emerged at the Cavista Technologies Hackathon 2025, aimed at empowering the youths with skills using technology to solve real life problems.
Themed, ‘Smart Automation: Enhancing Care through Integrated Systems’, Team Stark Underflow, from Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), Ikorodu, smiled home with a cash prize of N2 million defeating Team Trendsetters and Team TechStars who emerged the second and third place winners respectively. They received N1 million and N500,000 respectively. Other perks of the competition include mentorship, networking and collaboration to help them grow and thrive even more in the technology sector.
Speaking at the third edition of the two-day event held recently at the Yaba College of Technology, the General Manager, Cavista Technologies, Oyebola Morakinyo, expressed excitement about the intiative, which is about empowering youths and creating jobs.
“We want to transform lives and create job opportunities. The main aim of the hackathon is to give skills to the young people. We are also looking out for talents to hire. In this engagement, we are looking out for those who stand out and they continue with the engagement even when the engagement is closed,” she stated.
She explained that her organisation intends to make people understand the opportunity they create for the community and country at large, advising the youths to push boundaries, take bold steps and not be afraid of making mistakes.
“At Cavista Technologies, our vision is to be the most innovative and respected solutions provider in the market. We provide innovative services that drive transformation, enhance efficiency and position organisations to lead in the future by leveraging our team of skilled engineers and industry experts, which is why we are here to push boundaries and discover the next set of engineers to impact our community,” she said.
In the next five years, the GM stated that her organisation will have a data base showing a timeline of the impact of the hackathon within the community it’s operating in, adding that it is passionate about it’s initiatives to give back to the society.
Speaking with journalists, Hon. Ayodele Olawande, Minister of Youth Development, underscored the government’s ongoing commitment to addressing the unemployment crisis and creating growth opportunities for the nation’s youth.
He emphasised the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors, saying that the key to creating jobs and economic growth lies in human capital development, particularly through skills acquisition.
The minister explained that partnerships with private organisations and tech platforms are crucial to reaching a large number of young Nigerians, helping them gain relevant skills to compete in the modern job market. “Jobs are not easy to come by, but before you can get employed, there must be growth. Capital, both financial and human, is what drives that growth,” he said. “This is why we are partnering with various organisations, including tech companies, to ensure that our youth can access the right tools and training.”
Olawande emphasised on the importance of skills, regardless of academic qualifications, saying, “If you are skilled, you can enter the job market with confidence, whether in tech, agriculture, or other industries. Skill development is at the heart of the government’s youth empowerment campaigns.”
He emphasised the importance of creating an enabling environment for Nigeria’s youth to succeed. “We must provide the tools, the environment, and the opportunities for our young people to thrive,” he stated. “This is our mission;building a strong, sustainable ecosystem where youth can innovate, learn, and contribute to the nation’s growth.”
