OPay names top 10 teams in N18m national innovation challenge

OPay, a leading fintech company in Nigeria, in partnership with Google and the Federal Government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, has announced the top 10 teams advancing to the next stage of its National Innovation Challenge, an initiative under the expanded OPay Scholars Programme.

This, the fintech said was in a bid to empower young Nigerians with the skills, opportunities and offer support needed to build solutions for real-world challenges.

The call for applications attracted over 11,000 students and 2,200 teams, reflecting strong interest and a growing appetite among young Nigerians to develop innovative solutions to challenges across sectors.

Following a rigorous selection process, 48 teams were shortlisted to participate in a six-week employability Webinar designed to strengthen their knowledge, build workplace-relevant skills and prepare them for the next stage of the challenge.

‎At the end of the Webinar stage, 10 outstanding teams emerged as the top teams of the National Innovation Challenge and will now advance to an intensive Boot Camp. At the Boot Camp, the teams will work with experienced mentors and industry professionals to further develop, test and refine their solutions ahead of the final stage of the challenge.

‎Speaking on the challenge, the CSR Manager, OPay, Itoro Udoh, said the programme is focused on creating practical pathways for young Nigerians to turn their ideas and skills into opportunities.

‎“Beyond the challenge, our goal is to equip young Nigerians with practical skills, mentorship and pathways to opportunities that can create lasting impact”, Udoh added.

‎With a total prize pool of N18 million, the National Innovation Challenge goes beyond recognising innovative ideas. It provides participants with opportunities to gain practical experience, strengthen their solutions and engage with professionals within the innovation and technology ecosystem.

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‎The initiative also creates opportunities beyond the competition. Students who score exceptionally well during the Webinar stage will be considered for the OPay Futures pipeline, providing access to potential three-month internship opportunities with OPay and other partner organisations.

‎Through the National Innovation Challenge, OPay is strengthening its commitment to supporting education, skills development, innovation and employability among young Nigerians. As the top 10 teams advance to the Boot Camp, they move one step closer to transforming their ideas into solutions that can address real-world challenges and create a meaningful impact.

‎OPay has also announced ten tertiary institution teams have emerged as the top contenders in the OPay National Innovation Challenge. The finalist lineup features Lyrclip from Miva Open University, ResearchFlow from Olabisi Onabanjo University, CampusCheck from the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, and Veripay representing MOAUM and Benue State University.

‎Joining them are CoursePass from the Lagos State University of Science and Technology, Teamcobuild from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, and Verified Hands from Ahmadu Bello University. Rounding out the top ten are SkoolConnectNG from Yaba College of Technology, Thrifty from Ahmadu Bello University, and Team Paye from Adeleke University.

‎OPay was established in 2018 as a leading fintech company in Nigeria with the mission to make financial services more inclusive through technology. The company offers a wide range of payment services, including money transfers, bill payments, card services, airtime and data purchases, and merchant payments, among others. Renowned for its fast and reliable network and strong security features that protect customers’ funds, OPay is licensed by the CBN and insured by the NDIC with the same insurance coverage as commercial banks.