Molumo Yusuf, a 14-year-old student of Heritage Global Academy, Ikorodu, Lagos State, won the N100,000 grand prize shopping voucher at MTN mPulse Kiddies Hackathon app competition in Lagos on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Yusuf, a boy, emerged the prize winner after beating four other contestants who took part in the app competition for creating `QuizMe’.

`Quizme’ is an educational aggregator app that doubled as a mini-encyclopedia and grants young people access to general interest about Nigeria.

Other prizes won by Yusuf included a laptop, school materials, headset and a Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) training kit from TechQuest.

The first and second runners-up also got same gifts with lower shopping voucher and certificates of participation.

NAN reports that the Hackathon was organised by MTN Nigeria with the aim of creating the next generation of innovators and inventors.

Mazen Mroue, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of MTN Nigeria Communications, said the competition was part of MTN Nigeria’s robust contributions toward growing the capacity, competence and creativity of the children.

Mroue identified lack of opportunity to explore the talents, ideas and skills of children in the country.

“The feedback from the application programme is very positive and I am very surprised to see the number of talents in the country and especially among the kids.

“One common thing among the kids is that they lack the opportunity to explore their own talents and skills.

“Today is an example of how we as private sector, as contributors to the overall Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of this country, how we can expose and promote them (kids) to take them to the next level.

“In an increasing dynamic and innovative world, we recognise the importance of empowering our youngsters with tools, resources and opportunities they need to create solutions that will guarantee a brighter future for our great country,” Mroue said.

He said there were plans to increase and receive more apps inventions and to sustain and develop the different talents to the next level and ensure the need to create a Nigerian App Store especially for the children to benefit from in future.

Mroue noted that the winner and the ideas of the top five were going to be part of next development and focus through the foundation platform.

He advised that every child’s potential should be explored and all the kids to take every single opportunity, especially from MTN to leverage the opportunity and showcase their talent to reach their dreams.

He said the communication outfit would ensure that the programme is regionalised and made easy for other children to participate in the competition.

Adeleye Jamaldeen, 13-year-old, who was the second prize winner, spoke with NAN and expressed delight as he invented a Quiz app known as ‘Geoquiz’ to teach children about world facts.

“I encourage other children to partake in the MTN mpulse to get more educated and learn more about the app,” he said.

About 700 children applied and the top 15 projects were selected and invited to the grand finale, with the top five winners pitching their ideas.

In 2018, the company unveiled mPulse, a new proposition for teens and tweens designed to equip kids between the ages of nine and 14.

The mPulse package comes with a voice plan and fun, educative website which hosts a wide variety of course study aids to help children from primary 1 to SS3.