Team MoMo Coverti has emerged as the winner of the Northern Ghana Zonal Hackathon organised by MobileMoney Fintech Limited under its MoMo Fintech Lab initiative, securing a place at the national competition scheduled for December 30 in Accra.
The team, represented by Lukman Seidu and Fatima Abubakari, attributed its victory to thorough preparation, extensive research, consultations and careful analysis of data.
Speaking after the announcement of the winners, Lukman Seidu described the experience as memorable, saying the team had worked diligently to develop and refine its solution.
He expressed confidence in the team’s ability to compete strongly at the National Demo Day, adding that they hoped to emerge victorious once again.
The Northern Ghana Zonal Hackathon brought together young innovators to develop technology-driven solutions to practical challenges, with particular interest in agricultural technology and financial services.
In his keynote address at the event in Tamale, the Chief Executive Officer of MobileMoney Fintech Limited, Shaibu Haruna, urged participants to develop practical, customer-focused financial technology solutions that address local challenges and contribute to national development.
He stressed the need to identify and support talented young people across the country, arguing that innovation should not be concentrated in major cities.
Mr. Haruna said the MoMo Fintech Lab was established to identify promising innovators, equip them with practical skills and connect them to mentorship, industry networks and other resources needed to develop responsible and scalable fintech solutions.
He explained that the initiative went beyond competition by creating opportunities for learning, collaboration and enterprise development involving industry players, regulators, financial institutions, technology partners, academia and innovation communities.
According to him, the national call for applications attracted 1,791 submissions from students, developers, entrepreneurs and early-stage founders across Ghana’s 16 regions.
Of the total, 249 applicants selected Tamale as their preferred innovation hub, with 20 teams advancing to the Northern Zone bootcamp.
He said the strong response demonstrated the readiness of young people to shape the future of financial technology but noted that many required practical guidance and institutional support to transform their ideas into viable solutions.
Mr. Haruna described the strong interest in agricultural technology among applicants in the Northern Zone as encouraging, noting that technology and financial services could help address challenges facing farmers, processors, aggregators, traders and other actors along the agricultural value chain.
He, however, cautioned participants against developing solutions based solely on technological possibilities without first understanding the problems they intended to solve.
He encouraged them to engage potential users, validate their assumptions through research and allow evidence and customer needs to guide product development.
The CEO said participants had undertaken activities in problem framing, user validation, business viability, pitch development and solution building as part of the bootcamp.
He announced that the four strongest solutions from the Northern Zone would progress to the national stage, joining finalists from Kumasi and Accra to form the final 12 teams.
Mr. Haruna also underscored the importance of teamwork, explaining that successful fintech solutions often require a combination of technical expertise, marketing, regulatory knowledge, business operations and an understanding of customer behaviour.
He urged participants to combine their skills and work collaboratively to develop solutions capable of growing into sustainable businesses.
He further encouraged applicants who did not advance to the bootcamp to use the feedback received to improve their proposals and continue refining their ideas, stressing that failure to progress at one stage did not determine an idea’s long-term potential.
“Let Northern Ghana’s needs inspire solutions that can travel across Ghana and beyond,” he urged.
Mr. Haruna reaffirmed MobileMoney Fintech Limited’s commitment to supporting young entrepreneurs, creating employment opportunities and expanding access to useful financial services.
He added that strengthening innovation communities outside Accra was essential to ensuring that regional entrepreneurs gained access to the partnerships, visibility and resources needed to develop solutions for Ghana and the global market.
He expressed appreciation to the programme’s partners, mentors, judges and facilitators for their contributions, challenging participants to demonstrate not only what their solutions could do but also the problems they addressed, the people they served and their growth potential.
The MoMo Fintech Lab initiative seeks to strengthen Ghana’s fintech ecosystem by supporting emerging entrepreneurs, promoting job creation and connecting innovators to opportunities that can help turn promising ideas into sustainable businesses.
The Northern Zone hackathon is part of a broader effort to expand innovation beyond Accra and encourage solutions that meet local needs while offering potential for wider national impact.
MoMo Fintech Lab Bootcamp Phase: Top 12 Finalists for the Northern Ghana Zone
The MoMo Fintech Lab has announced the top 12 finalists for the Northern Ghana Zone bootcamp.
MOMO COVERT secured the first position, with team members Lukman Seidu and Fatima Abubakari.
PAYITBETTA placed second, with Fakii Ajaansuma Tagra Shaida, Seidu Cyril Caleb and Ahmed Fatogma Yakubu as team members.
MOMONEY0 came third, represented by Osei-Sekyere Love-God.
ADAASHI took the fourth position, with Mujahid Sugrinuomah and Awal Muhammad Taqiud-Deen W as team members.
L3XI placed fifth, with Lemuel Akowan and Douglas Dery.
BPOS PAYSYNC secured the sixth position, with Roberf Frimpong Adu, Godwin Gbetsivi and Paa Akwasi Asiedu Addo as team members.
CROPVAULT placed seventh, represented by Muhsin Ismail.
MOMO SUSU CIRCLE took the eighth position, with Rafiatu Ziblim as its team member.
HARVEST GOLD placed ninth, represented by Abdul-Rahaman Salifu and Peter Ninkpel Binditi.
MY PESEWAS HEALTH secured the tenth position, with Mumuni Fataw as its team member.
CREDIPAY placed eleventh, represented by Jessica Amma Boanuh.
MOMOBIZ completed the list in the twelfth position, with Awudu Iman as its team member.
Source: Ibrahim Angaangmeni Alhssan/zaaghana.com
