The Payaza Hackathon 3.0

AI-Powered Financial Inclusion for MSMEs

Empowering Small Businesses through AI-Driven Financial Solutions.

*From 20th to 21st November, 2024

PRIZES TO BE WON

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$5,000

Winner
Second Prize Image

$3,000

1st Runner Up
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$1,500

2nd Runner Up

(Terms & Conditions apply)

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General Entry Requirements

  1. 1

    You can only enter as a team of not less than 3 persons and no more than 5 persons.

  2. 2

    Your mission: Conceive groundbreaking, unique solutions, ideas, and products in line with our theme “AI-Powered Financial Inclusion for MSMEs: Empowering Small Businesses through AI-Driven Financial Solutions.”

  3. 3

    Problem Statement: Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) face significant hurdles that hinder their ability to scale and thrive, impeding their growth and economic contributions. Download Case Study

    The Goal: Using AI, develop innovative fintech solutions that address these challenges and empower MSMEs to thrive. The ideal solution should be Inclusive, Scalable and Impactful.

  4. 4

    Craft a compelling presentation that showcases your innovative solution, addressing the problem statement to achieve the desired goal.

  5. 5

    Submit the link to your presentation document with your application.

  6. 6

    Shortlisted applicants will be invited to the Payaza Hackathon 3.0.

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Entry Requirements - Team

  1. 1

    Must be a team of no more than 5 individuals consisting of at least one:

    • Product Manager
    • Frontend Developer
    • Backend Developer
    • AI/Machine Learning Engineer

Order of Events

View the Payaza FinTech Hackathon 3.0 schedule here

Are You Ready?

This is your chance to make a difference, innovate, and win big. Get ready to bring your A-game to the Payaza Hackathon 3.0!

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WE ARE SPONSORED BY 25+ COMPANIES

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JUDGES

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Mustapha Garba

Director, forLoop Africa

Mustapha Garba has a background in software development, product management, and community building includes evaluating and improving processes, experience with hands-on execution of projects and initiatives from start to finish. This has led him to build and scale one of the largest communities of Software Developers in Africa, forLoop Africa.
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Anuoluwapo Olayinka

CEO, Ignition Travels and Tour.

Mrs. Anuoluwapo Olayinka is the trailblazing CEO of Ignition Travel and Tours, renowned for her expertise in the rapidly evolving travel tech landscape. With a profound understanding of booking platforms, payment gateways, and AI-driven recommendation systems, she has revolutionized the way her clients experience travel. Her innovative approach to digital travel solutions has earned Ignition Travel and Tours a reputation for delivering seamless, customized journeys.
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Prosper Otemuyiwa

CoFounder, EdenLife

Prosper has been building products for the past 10 years and has risen through the ranks from programming newbie to CTO at Eden Life. His reputation as a world-class software engineer precedes him and his ability to significantly improve those around him makes him one of the most sought-after developers on the continent.
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Temitope Alabi

Co-Founder & CEO, Afriex

Tope Alabi is the co-founder and CEO of Afriex, a fintech company focused on making international money transfers faster, more affordable, and accessible to a global audience. Originally from Nigeria, Tope grew up in the USA, witnessing firsthand the struggles of sending and receiving money across borders, which ignited his passion for creating solutions that could bridge the financial gaps in African and global remittances.
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Adekola Aderinko

CIO, Optimus Bank

Adekola has professional I.T. experience that spans over 10 years. He was the Head of IT & Operations at GTBank Cote d’Ivoire where he oversaw the enhancement, implementation, reporting, and oversight of the bank’s operations and technology reporting to the Managing Director, and working as a key member of the bank’s management team. He is currently the Chief Information Officer of Optimus Bank spearheading technological innovations for the bank.
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Ewere Diagboya

The First AWS Community Hero in Africa

Previously as Head of Infrastructure and Data Protection at Indicina, Ewere Diagboya spearheaded the implementation of NDPR compliance, optimized AWS costs, and fostered team strategic planning. His leadership in migrating to Gitlab and refining security CI/CD pipelines with tools like Hadolint and Trivy was pivotal in elevating our operational standards and aligning with industry best practices.
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Hussain Shehu

Senior Product Manager, Toptal

As a seasoned Senior Product Manager, I excel in driving growth and innovation through strategic product leadership and advanced technology integration. My expertise spans AI-driven solutions, workflow automation, and data analytics, enabling me to enhance operational efficiency and optimize user experiences

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Dumebi Chienye

CEO & Author, Udohbe London

Dumebi Chienye-Okeke is a visionary entrepreneur with a solid foundation in law and a passion for creating meaningful impact. Starting her career as a PR professional for football clubs in 2019, Dumebi expanded her expertise to various sectors, including PR work for Langham Hall. She is the founder of the Okan Foundation, an NGO focused on social impact, and the owner of two businesses—one in events management and the other, UDOHBÈ London, a luxury home and body fragrance line—combining purpose with profit and driven by a commitment to both growth and positive change.

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Collins Omokaro

Senior Investment Expert, UNIDO ITPO

Mr. Collins Osagie Omokaro is an accomplished professional with over 15 years of experience across investment promotion, trade advisory, strategy, business development, and program management within the private sector, public service, and development organizations. As Senior Investment and Technology Promotion Expert at UNIDO ITPO Nigeria, he leads initiatives that connect Nigerian businesses with global technology providers, driving sustainable growth across the ECOWAS region.

MENTORS

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Evioghene Osifo-Whiskey

Chief Operations Officer, Bank78

EviOghene Osifo-Whiskey is a Results-oriented Operations Specialist with experience in problem-solving and process improvement; coupled with excellent communication, time management and creative thinking skills. Dedicated to leveraging these abilities to successfully improve an organization to the highest standard possible.
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Jessie Croffie

Lead Product Manager, Tribapay

Jesse Croffie is an experienced Product Manager skilled at driving strategic growth and innovation within the fintech and payments ecosystem, with a proven track record of transforming user requirements and market opportunities into scalable products, driving product expansion across diverse markets.
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Tunde Adewole

Co Founder, BridgeCards

Tunde Dewole is the CEO at Bridgecard, before Bridgecard he built open banking APIs connecting large banks in Africa to startups.
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Oladele Oloruntoba

Regional Lead, Innovest Afrika

Oladele Olaruntoba ia a result oriented Business professional with leadership and managerial experience in Strategic stakeholder engagements , Fundraising, Strategic communication, team building, strategic planning, strategy and problem solving skills.
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Oluwafunsho Okubanjo

Engineering Manager, Deimos Cloud

A strong conceptual thinker who has a keen interest in things related to the Internet. I have the ability and experience needed to design and execute complex web projects for a diverse variety of users. I am committed to having an impact on the future of any company that I work for, and possesses the enthusiasm and commitment to learn and develop my career within a fast paced and growing business.
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Ifeoluwa Oyeleke

MD, Rove VV

Ifeoluwa is a highly skilled professional with 7 years of experience in the Treasury and financial management industry. With extensive experience in local and foreign currency liquidity management, balance sheet management, Fixed income, FX trading, and hedging portfolio management, she is a valuable asset to any organization.

SPEAKERS

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Mr. Patrick Ilo

Chief Executive Officer, Petrocam Trading (Nig) Ltd.

Mr. Patrick Ilo, the honcho of fast-rising Energy Company – Petrocam Trading Nigeria Limited, is a rare gem and exemplary leader, who is making a tremendous impact in the nation's cooking gas industry. His foresight and philosophy which accords utmost prominence to business integrity, has rubbed off well on Petrocam, and made it to thrive amidst fierce competition in the nation's LPG Bottling Plant business cosmos

Mr Patrick will be taking the topic: Breaking Down Barriers: Fintech Innovations for MSME Success

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Oscar Onyema

Independent Non-Executive Director, Capital Market Expert.

At the helm of NGX Group, his leadership over the past three years has been instrumental in steering one of the leading capital market holding companies to new heights. With a focus on strategic planning and execution, Oscar Onyema has galvanized the team to enhance board efficiency and corporate governance, ensuring NGX Group remains at the forefront of market innovation.

He will be taking the topic: Fueling Growth: Innovative Fintech Solutions for MSMEs

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Priyaranjan Midde

Principal Engineering Manager, Microsoft

A seasoned engineering leader with 19 years of experience in delivering innovative solutions leveraging the power of AI for various products such as Dynamics Field Services, M365, MSSales, Dynamics CRM, Dynamics AX. Passionate about building high-performing teams, fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence, and creating customer-centric products that solve complex problems. Skilled in C#, .NET, Blazor, MAUI, React, Microsoft Power Platform, Azure Data Factory, Azure HDInsight, Azure Data Lake, Azure API Management, Azure Service Fabric, and Azure Functions.

He will be taking the topic: From Idea to Innovation: Empowering MSMEs with Practical Software Engineering Strategies

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Innocent Isichei

Managing Partner, ACIOE

At ACIOE, Innocent supports the regulatory and government engagement efforts of clients, enhancing their understanding of the policy environment in countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, and Kenya. He previously served as the Director of Policy for Paystack Payments, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the company's strategic direction and regulatory compliance efforts.

Innocent will be taking the topic: MSMEs and the Policy Puzzle: Navigating a Complex Regulatory Landscape

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Daniel Meke

Chief of Staff, AMD

daniel Meke is a global operations and program management leader with 15+ years of experience in SAAS, semiconductors, and oil & gas industries across Africa, North America and Eurasia.

Daniel will be taking the topic: How AI Can Transform MSME Operations

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Ekefre David

Chief Revenue Officer, CloudPlexo

At CloudPlexo, his team champions cloud security and cost management, harnessing his expertise in AWS Security to safeguard client operations. Educated with a Master of Science from the University of Leiden and a Bachelor’s in Information Systems from the American University of Nigeria, his foundation is solid in ICT and business processes.

David will be taking the topic: The Role of AI in Driving Financial Inclusion for MSMEs

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Ifelade Ayodele

Co Founder, Blaaiz

With over eight years of experience in management consulting, banking, payments, and venture capital, Ifelade has helped financial services companies (fintech, mortgage, retail, commercial, and corporate banks) navigate complex challenges and opportunities in the digital age. He also has core expertise in technology transformation, business and financial modelling, go-to-market and growth strategies, cost optimization, risk management, credit decisioning strategy, and pricing.

David will be taking the topic: Navigating the Global Marketplace: Overcoming Challenges in Cross-Border Payments for Small Businesses.

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Nnaemeka Clinton

Chief Innovation Officer, Africa Startup Festival

Nnaemeka Clinton is the CEO and Founder of Spark (also known as Spark Africa), the foremost startup and talent aggregator and a global events organizer, renowned for hosting two of Africa’s top tech gatherings: the Africa Startup Festival and the Africa Technology Expo. These events attract thousands of investors, founders, and tech talents, creating significant opportunities for investments and partnerships.

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Dumebi Chienye

CEO & Author, Udohbe London

Dumebi Chienye-Okeke is a visionary entrepreneur with a solid foundation in law and a passion for creating meaningful impact. Starting her career as a PR professional for football clubs in 2019, Dumebi expanded her expertise to various sectors, including PR work for Langham Hall. She is the founder of the Okan Foundation, an NGO focused on social impact, and the owner of two businesses—one in events management and the other, UDOHBÈ London, a luxury home and body fragrance line—combining purpose with profit and driven by a commitment to both growth and positive change.

Dumebi will be taking the topic: The Role of Fintechs in empowering MSME’s

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the Payaza Hackathon 3.0?

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The Payaza Hackathon 3.0 is a competition that challenges individuals and teams to develop innovative solutions, ideas, or products related to fintech and payments.

When is the Payaza Hackathon 3.0 taking place?

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The Payaza Hackathon 3.0 is scheduled for 20th and 21st of November, 2024.

Can I sign up a team?

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Yes, team participants are welcome to join.

How many members can be on a team?

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A team can consist of up to 5 individuals.

What are the prizes for the Payaza Hackathon 3.0?

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The prizes include: - Winner: $5,000 and a chance to grow your idea into a profitable business at the Payaza Incubation program for 10 weeks - First Runner-Up: $3,000 - Second Runner-Up: $1,500

What are the general entry requirements?

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Participants must create a presentation document of their solutions, ideas, or products. Pitch or presentation document can be uploaded to a chosen platform.

Is there a theme for the solutions, ideas, or products?

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The theme for the Payaza Hackathon 3.0 is “AI-Powered Financial Inclusion for MSMEs: Empowering Small Businesses through AI-Driven Financial Solutions,” and all submissions must align with this theme.

What happens after I submit my application?

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Shortlisted applicants will be invited to the Payaza Hackathon 3.0.

Do I need to be an expert in fintech or payments to participate?

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Expertise is beneficial and crucial to participating in the hackathon.

What are the criteria for judging the submissions?

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Submissions will likely be judged based on factors such as creativity, innovation, potential impact, relevance to the theme, problem statement, and the quality of the presentation.

What is the problem statement for the hackathon?

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Problem Statement: Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) face significant hurdles that hinder their ability to scale and thrive, impeding their growth and economic contributions. The Goal: Using AI, develop innovative fintech solutions that address these challenges and empower MSMEs to thrive. The ideal solution should be Inclusive, Scalable, and Impactful. To download the case study click here.

When I win the Payaza FinTech Hackathon 3.0, what next

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Additionally to the $5,000 grand prize, the winning team has the opportunity to tap into the Payaza Incubation program for 10 weeks in order to develop their idea into a profitable business.

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Build The Future With Payaza Hackathon 3.0

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We are proudly supported by:
providus-img UNIDO, ITPO Lagos, Nigeria,
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1st Floor, 301 Jide Oki St, Victoria Island, Lagos.

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