3MTT invites fellows to apply for the N6 million Innovation Challenge.
Through the current 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative, the Federal Government is accepting proposals for an Innovation Challenge. Six fellows or teams from the program’s first cohort, each with the potential to earn N1 million, are up for grabs.
The goal of the program is to push fellows in the first cohort of the 3MTT to use their technological expertise to address societal issues in Nigeria.
The 3MTT team announced that participants can apply as a team or individually to be eligible for a grand prize.
Along with the cash award, the team added that winners will also have the potential to receive a 500GB internet router, a 1-week pre-incubation boot camp in Lagos, a chance at equity funding, a demo day to exhibit their work to investors, and scholarships from LinkedIn and Azure.
How to take part
As per 3MTT, fellows who plan to take part in the Challenge will have to fulfill the following requirements:
- Explore current social issues in Nigeria.
- Engage with local communities or use surveys to understand their challenges.
- Choose issues that align with your technical skills and potential impact.
- Clearly define the problem, who it affects, and why it is important
- Create a 3–5 minute pitch video and submit your application
- You can apply as an individual or as a team (maximum of 5 people)
The program team said that the deadline for proposal submissions is anticipated to be Monday, March 25, 2024. Fellows who are interested can apply here.
Things to Know
The Federal Government is enabling 3MTT program participants in a number of ways, including the Innovation Challenge, with the aim of training 3 million Nigerians.
- The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, while flagging off the second cohort of the program, disclosed that a significant number of fellows in the first cohort of the program were being placed into jobs as interns all over the country.
- Beyond that, he said all the fellows from the first phase are now at a stage where they will be participating in hackathons within their states to put what they’ve learned into practice; working together with their peers, and building solutions that can showcase their expertise.
- In addition to job placement, Tijani said the government was working on the possibility of providing unemployment benefits for Nigerians participating in the program.
The program’s second phase, which began on February 29 of this year, will accept 270,000 Nigerians, both young and elderly, as fellows for its second cohort. After the first 30,000 participants, this will bring the total to 10% of the 3 million.
