Overview

Powering innovation across Sub-Saharan Africa with network intelligence

The Africa Ignite Hackathon is a regional innovation challenge designed to empower developers, startups, and tech enthusiasts across Sub-Saharan Africa to build impactful, scalable solutions using cutting-edge telecom network capabilities. Leveraging CAMARA APIs, and the Nokia Network-as-Code platform, participants will create applications that address real-world challenges and unlock new opportunities in a rapidly evolving mobile-first ecosystem.

A regional innovation challenge bringing together developers, startups, and tech enthusiasts across Sub-Saharan Africa to build impactful, scalable solutions leveraging next-generation telecom network capabilities.

Beyond exciting prizes, top teams will get a platform to present their innovations to leading stakeholders across the telecom industry and API ecosystem, including global innovators like Nokia.

Solve real-world challenges across Sub-Saharan Africa
Strengthen collaboration between developers, MNOs, and telco partners
Drive innovation using network APIs and advanced connectivity capabilities
Promote education and adoption of Open Gateway technologies

The hackathon is open to a wide spectrum of innovators across the Sub-Saharan Africa region, including:

Students: from universities, colleges, or technical institutes.
Freelancers: independent professionals not bound to a permanent employer.
Working Professionals: across industries and domains.
Creative Minds: tech enthusiasts, marketers, ideators, or anyone with a game-changing idea.
Early-Stage Startups: looking to explore, validate, or scale their solutions.

Additional Requirements:

Participants must be 18 years or older at the time of registration.
Open to individuals of Sub-Saharan Africa region
Passion for technology is the only prerequisite; educational background or prior experience is not a barrier.

Themes

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Sub-Saharan Africa is undergoing rapid digital transformation, driven by increasing mobile penetration and advanced connectivity across 4G and emerging 5G networks. However, innovation at scale continues to face a twofold challenge:

The need for advanced, reliable connectivity to accelerate digital solutions
Limited ability for developers to programmatically access and leverage telecom network capabilities

To bridge this gap, the telecom ecosystem is evolving towards greater openness through initiatives like Open Gateway and CAMARA APIs, enabling developers to interact directly with network intelligence without requiring deep telecom expertise.

This hackathon invites participants to:

Build API-driven solutions leveraging programmable network capabilities to address real-world challenges across sectors such as fintech, health, agriculture, and urban infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Participants are expected to develop solutions that:

Leverage Advanced Connectivity & Network Intelligence - Utilize telecom capabilities exposed via Open Gateway / CAMARA APIs (e.g., SIM swap detection, number verification, device status), which function across both 4G and 5G networks.
Embrace Openness & Accessibility - Build solutions that demonstrate how developers—without being telecom experts—can seamlessly integrate and innovate using programmable network APIs.
Address Pressing Local Challenges - Solve critical socio-economic and infrastructure issues relevant to the Sub-Saharan African context.
Ensure Scalability & Real-World Impact - Design solutions that can scale across regions and deliver sustainable, measurable impact.

Tech Stack (Mandatory)

Technical Requirements & API Stack

Core Requirement:

All hackathon solutions must integrate at least one Nokia-hosted CAMARA API via the Network as Code Developer Portal.

Using multiple CAMARA APIs will earn additional points
Combining APIs across different categories/use cases will earn extra points
All submissions must include a working codebase (GitHub/GitLab link mandatory)
Solutions must be original, and code will be validated by subject matter experts (SMEs)
Mandatory APIs to Consider

Participants are encouraged to build solutions using the following high-priority CAMARA APIs:

SIM Swap
Device Swap
KYC Match
Extended CAMARA API Stack

Participants can further enhance their solutions by leveraging additional APIs such as:

QoS on Demand
Device Status
Location Verification
Location Retrieval
Geofencing
Device/Application Attachment
Network Slicing
Congestion Insights
Number Verification
Bonus Innovation Layer

To stand out, teams are encouraged to incorporate:

Agentic AI / GenAI capabilities (e.g., intelligent automation, decisioning, predictive insights)

Tasks

The tasks can be divided into:

Mandatory
- Utilize 1 CAMARA API available within Network-as-Code platform
- Demonstrate a clear use-case that solves or improves a real-world problem
Good-to-have tasks
- Utilize more than 1 CAMARA API available in Nokia Network-as-Code
- Create an application that works on an advanced connectivity device
Bonus tasks
- Bonus points for agentic AI concepts that leverage and orchestrate multiple APIs to create smarter, automated workflows or decision-making journeys.

Restrictions

The submission must use 1 or more network API available on Nokia Network-as-Code platform
The submission must use original code. You can also build to enhance an existing submission of yours.
Submissions must use one of the theme categories

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Theme 1: Financial Inclusion, Secure Payments & Anti-Fraud

Context: High mobile money adoption across SSA; rising fraud, SIM swap scams, and identity risks.

Focus: Build secure fintech solutions using network-based trust signals.

Relevant APIs: SIM Swap, Number Verification, Device Status

Example: Automatically block suspicious transactions after SIM swap detection

Theme 2: Digital Agriculture & Rural Connectivity

Context: Agriculture employs ~60% of SSA workforce; rural connectivity gaps persist.

Focus: Enable smarter farming and rural services through connectivity.

Relevant APIs: Location, Device Status, QoD

Example: Trigger micro-insurance payouts using verified farmer location

Theme 3: Health Access, Emergency Response & Community Safety

Context: Limited healthcare access in remote areas; need for real-time emergency systems.

Focus: Build location-aware and reliable healthcare solutions.

Relevant APIs: Location, Device Reachability, Device Status

Example: Ensure uninterrupted telemedicine sessions using QoD

Theme 4: Mobility, Transport & Urban Services

Context: Traffic congestion in major cities; growth of ride-hailing and logistics ecosystems.

Focus: Optimize mobility and logistics using real-time network insights.

Relevant APIs: Location, QoD, Device Status

Example: Assign rides only to drivers with stable connectivity

Theme 5: SME Enablement & Digital Commerce Growth

Context: SMEs make up 80%+ of SSA businesses; need better tools for trust, payments, and onboarding.

Focus: Empower SMEs with secure and seamless digital tools.

Relevant APIs: Number Verification, SIM Swap, Location

Example: Passwordless onboarding using mobile number verification

Theme 6: Open Innovation

Think beyond the tracks. Innovate with network intelligence.

Challenge: Build novel solutions that push the boundaries

Prizes

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Beyond the Prize: Global Recognition & Impact

Continental Showcase: Each winning team will be invited to present their solution at MWC Kigali 2026, with full travel and accommodation for one representative. A huge opportunity to showcase your innovation to global industry leaders.
GSMA Ecosystem Inclusion: Gain exposure into the GSMA’s global network of mobile operators and tech innovators
Real-World Integration: Move beyond the prototype with potential opportunities to pilot and scale with interested technology and solution providers to mobile operators.

Main Prizes

1st Prize

GBP 3,000

2nd Prize

GBP 2,000

3rd Prize

GBP 1,000

Africa Ignite Hackathon

Overview

Themes

Tech Stack (Mandatory)

Tasks

Prizes

Social Share

Help & Support