By Modupe Gbadeyanka
To lighten the unveiling of the state-of-the-art 3,000ft Ilorin Innovation Hub in Kwara State, IHS Nigeria has sponsored an Art Hackathon, with intending participants expected to submit entries latest November 14, 2024.
The firm, which is a part of IHS Holding Limited, also known as IHS Towers, one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared communications infrastructure in the world by tower count, will provide cash prizes for the winners.
Selected artists will receive a cash prize of N500,000 for each work chosen and have their artwork displayed in the Ilorin Innovation Hub, providing an opportunity to leave their legacy at the hub.
Entries are anticipated from artists from Kwara State and across Nigeria and must resonate with the themes of innovation, creativity and local community development, and display high technical proficiency.
The Art Hackathon is a celebration of creativity and innovation among young enterprising Nigerians, and it part of activities to mark the commissioning of the facility.
The hub will run programmes that seek to foster technological advancement, entrepreneurship, and overall economic growth across the region, and Nigeria in general.
The facility aims to provide a conducive environment for startups, tech enthusiasts, and innovators to collaborate, develop new ideas, and help bring their projects to fruition.
Key features and services to be offered at the Ilorin Innovation Hub will include co-working spaces, incubation and acceleration programs, as well as workshops and training on technology and entrepreneurship.
It will also provide a networking platform for players in the tech and venture capital ecosystem while helping tech startups access investors and opportunities for funding.
“Art and technology define and continue to reshape the world we live in. Today, the rapid expansion of digital technology is changing the art world in new ways, and vice versa, through the advent of innovative digital tools. It is this unique relationship between creativity and science that influenced our decision to include an Art Hackathon leading up to the opening of the Ilorin Innovation Hub.
“We are proud to work with the Kwara State Government on this initiative, which also aligns with our ambition of promoting local talent and creating opportunities for young people in the region. I look forward to the various expressions of creativity that this event will showcase,” the Chief Operating Officer of IHS Nigeria, Mr Kazeem Oladepo, commented.
Aduragbemi Omiyale 
Adedapo Adesanya