Babcock Tech Week to spotlight innovation

Babcock University is set to host the 2026 edition of Babcock Tech Week, an annual programme aimed at promoting student innovation, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and stronger engagement between academia and industry.

The week-long event, scheduled to be held from 22 to 28 March 2026, is themed ‘Tethered: Connected Across Disciplines’, reflecting a growing emphasis on collaboration among technology, finance, health, and other sectors to address real-world challenges.

Organised by the Babcock University Computer Club in partnership with the Finance Students Association, Google Developer Groups on Campus, Babcock, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Babcock Chapter, the programme will feature competitions, panel discussions, and a career fair designed to connect students with leading organisations.

President of the Babcock University Computer Club, Oluwadamilola Soji-Oderinde, said the initiative is open to students across all faculties, aligning with the event’s cross-disciplinary focus.

“We are bringing the tech experience to the entire university community,” he said in a statement, adding that participation is also open to individuals outside the institution.

At the centre of the programme is the Tethered Hackathon and Pitchathon, which carries a total prize pool of N10 million. According to the Director of BTW and Vice-President of the Computer Club, Dunmade Majuyi, the first-place winner will receive N4m, while the second- and third-place teams will take home N2m and N1m, respectively, alongside additional awards recognising technical and vertical excellence.

To encourage diverse thinking, each participating team is required to include at least one student from outside the School of Computing, a structure organisers say is designed to reward interdisciplinary collaboration rather than purely technical execution.

The event will also feature a full-day career fair on 24 March, providing companies with access to Babcock University’s student talent pool while exposing participants to internship and employment opportunities.

Panel sessions scheduled during the week will examine topics including Africa’s digital future, funding innovation, and capital markets and venture ecosystems. Confirmed speakers include Ayotunde Coker, Chief Executive Officer of Open Access Data Centres; Ayo Adegboye, Chief Executive Officer of Arravo; Ifeoluwa Sobogun, Technical Lead at Paystack; and Fatumata Coker, Chairman of CreditRegistry, among others.

Industry partners and sponsors for the programme include MTN, Paystack, Arravo Technology, Open Access Data Centres, Blue Marina Asset Management, Access Holdings, CreditRegistry, and Cordros Securities, with additional partners expected to be announced, according to Head of Partnerships and External Relations for BTW 2026, Obata Onyelukachukwu.

Organisers said the initiative is intended to strengthen innovation culture within the university while creating pathways for collaboration between students, start-ups, and industry stakeholders.