THOUSANDS of young Nigerians thronged the THISDAY Dome in Abuja for MTN Nigeria’s ‘The Gathering on 100,’ a youth focused festival where the telecommunications giant awarded millions of naira to winners of startup pitch and talent competitions.

The free event, which formed part of the company’s ‘Live It 100’ campaign, saw 15,232 youths register for a day of networking, entertainment, and business pitching aimed at empowering digital creators, entrepreneurs, and innovators.

During the startup tech pitch competition, a total of N5 million was distributed among top innovators.

Omolola Adewoye, co-founder of an agritech startup, Agrivesto Enterprise, clinched the grand prize of N2.5 million.

A legal practitioner, Abu Obinaya Godson, who pitched a startup called Case Raider, emerged as the first runner-up, while the third position award of N1 million went to Wave Budget.

Speaking to journalists after her win, Adewoye described the moment as overwhelming, noting that her startup aims to make farmers visible, bankable, and profitable.

To her, “The feeling is amazing. Everyone that pitched really did their best, and I am happy and privileged to be the winner of this competition. Thank you, MTN,” she said.

Adewoye admitted she did not expect to emerge the winner despite her strong presentation.
“I did not have a feeling that I was going to be in this place for the grand prize. Everybody brought in their own game.

“I had the opportunity to meet great minds even before the pitch, so I was rooting for virtually everyone that were closer to me,” she stated, adding that the prize money will be pumped into actively optimising her company’s platform.

On his part, Godson explained that he almost missed the opportunity to take part after submitting his application close to the deadline.

“I was one of those who applied very late, I think we applied like a day before the day closed and when they reached out to us that we were one of the finalists, I was so happy,” Godson said.

He noted that despite planning to rest after a hectic week in court, he remained confident of victory, stating, “I believed I was going to win. I believe in God. I already prayed and just rested, and God just did His thing.”

Speaking at the event, an MTN representative, Sir Coker, commended the judges and contestants, stressing that the participants demonstrated the capacity to shape the future.

“We believe that young people do not just have ideas, they have the power to shape the future. That is why we created Live It 100, a platform that creates young Nigerians who give 100 per cent of their dream, their hustle and their impact,” he said.

The official noted that the financial prizes represent a significant boost of confidence in the youth, empowering these innovative startups to create local jobs.

Furthermore, the vibrant festival seamlessly featured talent competitions, thrilling live music performances, fashion runways, and gaming arcades to entertain all excited attendees.