MTN invests in youth entrepreneurship ecosystem in Kano

MTN Nigeria has expanded its investment in nationwide youth engagement initiative, The Gathering 100, to Kano, bringing together young innovators, creatives, entrepreneurs and technology enthusiasts to foster collaboration, innovation and community-driven storytelling.

The event, held on Saturday in Kano, followed earlier editions in Lagos, Enugu and Aba. It featured startup pitch competitions, gaming contests, creative exhibitions and networking sessions designed to empower young Nigerians with opportunities to connect, showcase ideas and access funding.

Abu Sufyan Aliyu, Senior Manager, Sales North-East Region, told journalists during the event that the initiative reflected the company’s commitment to celebrating Nigeria’s cultural diversity while creating a platform for young people to pursue their ambitions.

Aliyu said every region of the country possesses unique strengths and identities that deserve recognition, noting that the programme was deliberately designed to give youths from different backgrounds equal opportunities to interact, exchange ideas and develop innovative solutions to societal challenges.

He explained that the gathering provides an ecosystem where participants can build meaningful connections, discover new opportunities and develop ideas capable of creating lasting social and economic impact.

According to him, activities ranging from gaming and digital exhibitions to creative arts and startup competitions were intentionally included to inspire participants to break barriers, discover their talents and pursue their aspirations.

Aliyu said winners of the Pitchathon 100 startup competition received financial support to help grow their businesses, with the overall winner receiving N2.5 million, while the first and second runners-up received N1.5 million and N1 million respectively.

He added that several other participants also received prizes from various competitions held during the event as part of MTN’s efforts to encourage innovation and creativity among Nigerian youths.

Aliyu further said The Gathering 100 was created to enable young Nigerians to tell authentic stories about their communities instead of relying on narratives shaped by outsiders.

He noted that the initiative seeks to build connected creative communities across the country by bringing together artists, writers, gamers, entrepreneurs, dancers, content creators and innovators under one platform.

According to him, the physical events complement an existing online community, allowing participants to establish real-life relationships, exchange experiences and access opportunities that support their personal and professional growth.

He said many young Nigerians have limited opportunities to experience different parts of the country firsthand, making it important to create spaces where they can interact directly with people from diverse backgrounds.

Aliyu added that the initiative also aims to remove barriers to participation by ensuring that most activities are either free or heavily subsidised, giving young people access to creators, investors, business mentors and industry professionals.

“The goal is to ensure authentic Nigerian stories are told by Nigerians themselves while creating a community where people can connect, collaborate and express themselves freely,” he said.

The highlight of the event was the startup pitch competition, where Applicant, a digital programme management platform, emerged as the overall winner, clinching the N2.5 million grand prize.

Samiat Tamilola Yusuf, Co-founder of Applicant, said the platform simplifies programme management by enabling organisations to manage applications, participant selection, attendance tracking, communication, certification and impact reporting from a single digital platform.

She explained that many organisations still rely on manual processes and multiple software applications to manage training and development programmes, creating inefficiencies that Applicant seeks to eliminate.

Yusuf described the victory as a major milestone for the startup, noting that although the company is only three months old, it has already begun generating revenue through real-world projects.

She said the N2.5 million prize would be invested in product development, staff expansion and marketing to enable the platform to reach more organisations running development programmes across Nigeria.

The Kano edition of The Gathering 100 forms part of MTN’s nationwide campaign encouraging young Nigerians to “Live It 100” by embracing their identities, pursuing their ambitions and building communities through creativity, innovation and collaboration.