To allow more universities, higher education institutions, and student teams to take part in the competition, the Organising Committee of E-GOV’A 2026 (E-Gov Africa Summit, Expo & Awards) has extended the registration period for the E-GOV’A Hackathon 2026.
The new application deadline is October 12, 2026.
Organised by Smart Click Africa, in partnership with Digital Business Africa, the E-GOV’A Hackathon aims to mobilise talent from universities and higher education institutions to design concrete digital solutions that address real challenges faced by public administrations, decentralised local authorities, government ministries, and companies.
Two days to turn a public-sector challenge into a digital solution
The principle of the competition is simple: give students a real-world challenge and provide the conditions needed to imagine, develop, and present a digital solution capable of addressing it.
A briefing on the challenge proposed by a partner public administration is scheduled for October 14, 2026. Teams will then have 48 hours of prototyping, supported by technical mentors and sector experts, before the final pitching and demonstration sessions.
The competition therefore lies at the heart of E-GOV’A’s ambition: to connect the practical challenges faced by public administrations with the skills and creativity of Africa’s young tech talent.
Who can participate?
The Hackathon is primarily intended for students officially enrolled in universities and higher education institutions offering programmes in ICT, telecommunications, computer science, artificial intelligence and other digital disciplines.
Under the Hackathon Charter, each institution may form a team of 3 to 5 students, supervised by at least one lecturer or mentor.
Institutions located outside Yaoundé may also participate, subject to the logistical arrangements established by the organisers.
Solutions designed to go beyond the competition
The E-GOV’A Hackathon aims to go beyond presenting a simple prototype.
Teams must submit, among other deliverables, source code, an executable file or demo link, a short presentation, and a user guide before defending their solution to a jury of experts, government representatives, and technology professionals.
Projects will be assessed on their impact, feasibility, level of innovation, user experience, and pitch quality.
The three best teams will receive:
- 1st Prize: CFAF 500,000, together with support towards deployment;
- 2nd Prize: CFAF 300,000;
- 3rd Prize: CFAF 100,000.
For the winning solution, Smart Click Africa will also provide support covering technical maturation, deployment, and the commercial and institutional promotion of the project. Intellectual property rights to the solution will remain with the students.
Artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and responsible innovation
Teams may use artificial intelligence assistants, provided they properly document their use and remain responsible for the compliance of the content produced.
The Hackathon Charter also sets requirements for cybersecurity, data protection, and transparency regarding the AI models used.
Registration open until October 12
Universities, higher education institutions, lecturers, students and young developers therefore have a few additional days to form their teams and join the challenge.
Registration deadline: October 12, 2026
Briefing: October 14, 2026
Hackathon / Prototyping: October 15–16, 2026
Venue: Yaoundé Conference Centre
Registration: www.e-gov.africa/hackathon
On your marks. Get set. Innovate!
