Award recipients in a photograph with Hackathon judging panel
A total of hundred young ladies have been trained in digital skills, particularly in coding, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence (AI) during the 2025 Girl Code Hackathon organised in Accra.
Supported by MTN Ghana Foundation and Absa Bank Ghana, this initiative reaffirmed their commitment to digital inclusion and women’s empowerment through the 2025 edition of the Girl Code Hackathon.
At the end of the hackathon, participants were tasked to develop application to solve everyday challenges, Lockedin won the competition followed by Real Woman and A Connect taking the second and third positions respectively.
Each of the winning team members received one tablet, keyboard, wireless mouse, headset and a book.
Speaking at the 30-hour hackathon, Senior Manager of the MTN Ghana Foundation, Robert Kuzoe, said the programme reflects MTN’s broader mission to equip young women with the technical and soft skills necessary to excel in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.
“Today’s programme is something we do every year. We bring together young women from tertiary institutions — a couple of hundred girls — for a hackathon that challenges their minds and creativity. The goal is to empower them with digital skills, particularly in coding, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence,” he said.
Mr. Kuzoe explained that the hackathon encourages participants to identify pressing social and business problems in their communities and to develop technology-driven solutions to address them.
He described this year’s edition as unique because it focuses exclusively on tertiary-level participants, who are expected to deliver more advanced and refined ideas.
Head of Technology and Service Management at Absa Bank Ghana, Anita Twum-Ampofo, encouraged young women in technology to develop innovative, inclusive, and secure digital solutions that respond to the needs of ordinary Africans.
Speaking under the theme, “Future-Proofing Africa: Innovation at the Intersection of Fintech, Cybersecurity, and AI,” she noted the importance of using technology as a force for inclusion, empowerment, and ethical transformation.
She stressed that Africa’s young population and rapidly growing digital economy present not only immense opportunities, but also responsibilities to ensure trust and inclusion in technology.
CEO and Founder of GirlCode, Zandile Mkwanazi, outlined the main judging criteria for the competition, noting that teams would be assessed based on four key areas — innovation activity, technical execution, impact and usefulness, and presentation or demonstration.
By Prince Fiifi Yorke