All On @10 Hackathon Inspires Young Nigerians to Develop Clean Energy Solutions

All On celebrated its 10th anniversary with a Hackathon aimed at empowering young clean energy innovators. Team 'Current Creators' won the Hackathon for their innovative ColdLink platform to enhance renewable energy logistics.

The Chief Executive Officer of renewable energy investment company All On, Caroline Eboumbou, said the DataFest and Hackathon was designed to inspire and empower the next generation of clean energy innovators in Nigeria. The event, held in Lagos, formed part of activities marking All On's 10th anniversary and brought together young innovators to develop practical, technology-driven solutions to some of Nigeria's energy challenges.

All On's 10-Year Commitment to Clean Energy

Reflecting on the company's journey over the past decade, Eboumbou said All On had continued to invest in people, businesses and strategic partnerships that are helping to expand access to affordable and sustainable energy across Nigeria. She explained that All On was established with Shell's support to catalyse the growth of Nigeria's off-grid energy market and improve access to reliable electricity for low-income households and small businesses. According to her, the company provides debt and equity financing, along with non-financial support, to Nigerian energy businesses whose operations align with its mission to close the country's energy access gap through renewable energy solutions.

“For the past 10 years, All On has invested in people, businesses and partnerships that are expanding access to clean energy across Nigeria,” Eboumbou said. “The All On @10 Hackathon builds on that commitment, allowing young innovators to develop practical solutions that will help shape the future of our energy sector.”

Winning Innovation: ColdLink Platform

At the end of the competition, Team “Current Creators,” made up of students from the University of Lagos, Lagos State University and Yaba College of Technology, emerged as the overall winner. The team won the Hackathon with its innovation, ColdLink, an integrated digital platform developed to improve the efficiency of renewable energy-powered cold-chain logistics. The platform combines real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, fleet management and energy performance tracking to support more efficient cold-chain operations. Eboumbou said the solution demonstrated how digital innovation could strengthen cold-chain infrastructure, reduce post-harvest losses and improve the long-term sustainability of facilities powered by clean energy.

Judging and Social Impact Focus

Participants were challenged to develop solutions that went beyond technical innovation and could demonstrate clear commercial and social value. The proposed ideas were expected to be technically feasible, commercially viable, financially sustainable and digitally enabled, while also having the potential to deliver meaningful social impact. The initiative highlighted the growing role young Nigerians can play in developing technology-driven solutions to the country's energy and infrastructure challenges. Entries were evaluated by a panel of experts comprising Bolanle Adesan, Senior Consultant at SFM Limited; Dr James Ogunleye, Project Developer at Carbon Limited; Henry Bassey, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Green Hub Africa; and Babajide Sokeye, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Associate at All On. The judges assessed the competing solutions based on innovation, technical feasibility, commercial viability, scalability and their potential social impact.

What This Means for Nigeria's Energy Sector

The All On @10 Hackathon further reinforced the company's commitment to supporting young innovators and encouraging ideas that could help build a cleaner, more inclusive and sustainable energy future for Nigeria. For Nigerian businesses and households, innovations like ColdLink could lower the cost of cold-chain logistics powered by renewables, reduce post-harvest losses in agriculture, and improve energy reliability. As All On continues to invest in off-grid solutions, the push for cleaner energy may also ease pressure on the national grid and reduce reliance on expensive diesel generators, offering long-term benefits for the naira and consumer energy bills.