File photo: MTN
Telecommunications giant MTN Nigeria on Saturday hosted the Kano edition of its “100 Gathering” initiative, a youth-focused platform aimed at connecting young Nigerians, promoting creativity and supporting innovative solutions to societal challenges.
The event brought together young entrepreneurs, artists, gamers, writers, content creators and innovators, providing them with opportunities to share ideas, showcase their talents, build networks and develop solutions capable of creating social impact.
Speaking at the event, the Senior Manager, Sales, Northeast Region, MTN Nigeria, Abu-Sufyan Aliyu, said the initiative was designed to create a platform where young people could connect, exchange ideas and develop innovative solutions to challenges affecting their communities.
He explained that the programme, which had earlier been held in Lagos, Enugu and Aba before moving to Kano, reflected MTN’s commitment to celebrating the diversity and uniqueness of Nigerian youths across different regions.
“The 100 Gathering is an event meant to bring people together and create a platform for them to connect, share ideas and create innovative solutions to their problems,” Aliyu said.
He added that the initiative provides young people with an ecosystem where they can collaborate, discover themselves and pursue their ambitions while building solutions that can positively impact society.
Aliyu further disclosed that winners of the pitch competition received financial support to advance their ideas, with the first-place winner receiving N2.5 million, while the second and third-place winners received N1.5 million and N1 million, respectively.
He said the prizes were intended to encourage creativity and support young innovators in developing their businesses and pursuing their goals.
The event featured various activities, including gaming competitions, art exhibitions, drawing sessions, networking opportunities and business engagements, with participants drawn from diverse creative and entrepreneurial backgrounds.
The winner of the pitch competition, Samiat Yusuf, co-founder of Applicant, said the platform was developed to simplify programme management for organisations.
Yusuf explained that Applicant enables organisations to manage applications, select participants, track attendance, monitor deliverables, send communications and generate real-time reports on their programmes.
She said the recognition would encourage her team to improve product development, expand its workforce and reach more organisations in need of efficient programme management solutions.
The MTN “100 Gathering” initiative is expected to continue across different Nigerian cities, providing young Nigerians with opportunities to connect, innovate and showcase the diverse stories emerging from their communities.
