MTN Nigeria has expanded The Gathering 100, its youth-focused initiative, to Kano, bringing together young innovators, creatives and entrepreneurs. The programme creates spaces for collaboration, innovation and community storytelling across the country.
The Kano edition took place on Saturday, following earlier events in Lagos, Enugu and Aba. The gathering featured startup pitch competitions, gaming contests, creative exhibitions and networking sessions designed to empower young Nigerians.
Abu Sufyan Aliyu, senior manager for sales in the North-East region, told reporters the initiative reflects MTN's commitment to celebrating Nigeria's cultural diversity. He said the programme deliberately creates equal opportunities for youths from different backgrounds to interact and develop innovative solutions to societal problems.
Aliyu explained that every region of Nigeria has unique strengths and identities that deserve recognition. The initiative was built to give young people a platform to pursue their ambitions, he noted.
The gathering provides an ecosystem where participants build meaningful connections, discover opportunities and develop ideas with lasting social and economic impact, according to him. Activities ranging from gaming and digital exhibitions to creative arts and startup competitions were included to inspire participants to discover their talents.
Winners of the Pitchathon 100 startup competition received financial support to grow their businesses. The overall winner took home N2.5 million, while first and second runners-up received N1.5 million and N1 million respectively.
Other participants also received prizes from various competitions held during the event as part of MTN's push to encourage innovation among Nigerian youth. The initiative aims to enable young Nigerians to tell authentic stories about their communities instead of relying on outside narratives, Aliyu said.
The Gathering 100 seeks to build connected creative communities across the country by bringing together artists, writers, gamers, entrepreneurs, dancers, content creators and innovators. The physical events complement an existing online community, allowing participants to establish real-life relationships and access opportunities that support their growth.
Many young Nigerians have limited chances to experience different parts of the country firsthand, Aliyu noted. Creating spaces where they can interact directly with people from diverse backgrounds is therefore crucial, he added.
The initiative also aims to remove participation barriers by ensuring most activities are either free or heavily subsidised. This gives young people access to creators, investors, business mentors and industry professionals, according to him.
"The goal is to ensure authentic Nigerian stories are told by Nigerians themselves while creating a community where people can connect, collaborate and express themselves freely," he said.
Applicant, a digital programme management platform, won the startup pitch competition at the event.
