MTN Group has officially opened submissions for its 2026 Technology Hackathons inviting African software developers, tech startups and internal employees across its footprint to build scalable digital solutions.
MTN Group has officially opened its 2026 Technology Hackathon inviting internal employees and external technology innovators from across Africa to collaborate on practical digital solutions for the continent’s growing telecommunications and financial ecosystems.
Operating under the telecom giant’s wider Ambition 2030 strategy, the initiative aims to harness cutting-edge technologies to solve real-world challenges, expand network access and accelerate digital inclusion.
The hackathon challenges participants to build functional prototypes and minimum viable products (MVPs) centered around several high-impact technology areas. Participants will work on artificial intelligence by developing intelligent automation and predictive tools, alongside AI-powered radio access networks (AI-RAN) to optimize telecommunications infrastructure using smart network management. Additionally, developers can focus on financial technology by designing scalable tools to improve digital payments and financial services, or work on digital infrastructure to create resilient solutions that expand connectivity to underserved communities.
Participants work alongside industry experts and technical partners, taking raw concepts through the testing and validation phases to see how ideas can be transformed into deployable market applications.
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Highlighting the vision behind the competition, Charles Molapisi, MTN Group Chief Technology and Information Officer, encouraged creators to focus on impactful designs that unlock Africa’s technological potential and bridge connectivity gaps.
By opening the competition to both internal staff and external developers, MTN seeks to foster an open innovation culture, empowering local talent to build scalable solutions that strengthen the continent’s digital economy.
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