From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
Students of Godfrey Okoye University (GOUNI), Enugu State, have emerged winners of the N6 million Bluecode Hackathon, a competition organized by Bluecode Africa to foster innovative digital payment solutions in Nigeria.
The competition, which featured 19 teams, aimed to develop alternative digital payment systems for the country. Team Rineside claimed the top prize of N3 million, while Team Grace and Team Majesty secured N2 million and N1 million, respectively, for their creativity and innovation in crafting digital payment solutions.
At the award ceremony in Enugu, Managing Director, Bluecode Nigeria, Davidson Regha, emphasized the importance of equipping young Nigerians with the skills to develop fintech solutions.
“We are a financial technology company focused on payments. Our goal is to empower Nigerian youths to create innovative digital payment systems. Mobile payments are the future, and we want to see how students can develop an in-house digital app for the microfinance bank used by GOUNI and other institutions in Nigeria,” he said.
Regha added that, given the success at GOUNI, the initiative would be extended to other universities across the country.
Similarly, Bluecode Africa’s Managing Director, Odin Krisymayr, explained that the competition was designed to introduce Nigeria to locally built, independent payment infrastructure.
“GOUNI students have demonstrated that reliable digital payment solutions can be developed locally. Our ultimate goal is to create a payment infrastructure free from foreign dependencies—built by Nigerians, for Nigerians,” he said.
Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, highlighted the state’s commitment to integrating technology into governance.
“We have invested heavily in e-governance to enhance transparency, traceability, and accountability in the state. Through Microsoft Dynamics, we manage payment approvals and financial processes efficiently,” he said.
Onyia urged the winners to prioritize service over financial gain.
In his remarks, GOUNI’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Sergius Udeh, praised the university’s Department of Computer Science for pioneering object-oriented programming paradigms to address real-world problems.
“Our approach to project writing marks a significant step in applying technology to solve local challenges. The establishment of a Computer Village at GOUNI further enhances our capacity to develop efficient software solutions at competitive costs,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the winning team, Emeka Owen expressed excitement, noting that their success came after intensive research and effort.
“It took a lot of work to develop the payment app that was adjudged the best. We’re thrilled by this achievement,” he said.