The Nigeria Communications Satellite Limited says it has plans to host the 2020 edition of ‘ACTINSPACE’ innovation competition in Abuja.
Adamu Idris, General Manager, Corporate Affairs at NIGCOMSAT announced this in a statement on Tuesday.
The ACTINSPACE is an international competition targeted at students of tertiary institutions, information technology startups and entrepreneurs to create new applications using technologies, satellite data and/or licences.
According to Idris, the 2020 edition of the competition is being organised in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, African Aeronautics and Space Organisation.
He said other partners included the National Centre for Space Studies, European Space Agency, Airbus, among others.
“The competition entry which opened some weeks ago is expected to end on October 8.
“Applicants from the ages of 18 to 35 years are expected to come up with solutions that are space-related for submission.
“The contest categories are New Space Player, Everyday Life Business and Space for Earth and Humans,” Idris explained.
The statement quoted the local organising committee’s chairperson for ACTINSPACE Nigeria, Alma Okpalefe, as saying that participants are expected to devise solutions that can help to run businesses, support humanitarian causes as well develop applications based on space technology.
Okpalefe said, “Entries are accepted only through the NIGCOMSAT official website.
“The second phase of the competition is the Hackathon where selected applicants will present their business ideas to judges and mentors over a two-day period.”
Okpalefe hinted that the winner would represent Nigeria at the global event in Paris, France in 2021.
“We are expecting to see Nigeria win at the global technology innovation challenge.
“To achieve this, however, we must showcase the best of what we have to offer,” she added.
