By Emeka Aginam
The Country Manager, Microsoft Nigeria, Emmanuel Onyeje has said
with optimism that 9jApps contest challenge would empower the next generation
of Nigerian developers, by helping them drive innovation and grow the local
software economy.
The challenge was designed to empower local developers to take
advantage of Microsoft’s new tools and resources to develop locally appealing
and locally-relevant apps for the Windows platform, utilizing Visual Studio
2012 and the Windows Phone SDK, in addition to the Windows Azure SDK,
The 9japps contest, according to Microsoft aims to foster
innovation and creating personality around developers and their apps in
collaboration with Nokia, Dell and CCHub Nigeria.
“Nigeria is blessed with enormous talents, and Microsoft is proud
to be able to help these talented developers to acquire new skills that will
help them explore their potential and reach new heights” Onyeje told IT
Journalists at the flagging of the challenge last Tuesday in Lagos.
The competition, he said will run for 3 months teeing-off in March
and climaxing at the end of June, 2013.
“This push for economic development through African innovation is
one of the key drivers of the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative, launched
continent-wide in February of this year.
“Microsoft is committed to working with Africa’s students,
entrepreneurs, and independent developers to help them create the next
generation of world-class African apps on the Window Platform, to bring
relevant content and new business opportunities to people across the continent”
he explained.
Also speaking , the Developer and Platform Evangelism Lead,
Microsoft Nigeria, Oyeshina Oyetosho told Journalist that , “This is not
development for development’s sake. This contest is about giving developers the
skills and tools they need to help them publish their apps to the Microsoft
Store so they can monetize their innovation and share it with the world.
“ The Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative is rooted in the belief that
African innovation can and will shape the future, so it is our hope that
contests like this one can help fuel that cycle”.
The conditions for entry, according to Shina will include the
following:
* Apps entries must be in the respective stores (Windows 8 or
Windows Phone) by 14 June 2013 at 23:59:59 GMT.
*Apps published and available in store before the contest period
are not eligible to participate.
*Apps developed for the Windows Phone platform must be compatible
with low-end Windows devices.
Prizes by categories of the contest include:
Window 8 Apps category:
*Grand Prize: 2012/2013 KIA Rio automobile
*Second Prize: NGN750, 000 cash
*Third Prizes: A Windows 8 device each (X5)
Similarly, contestants in the Windows phone category will win the
following:
*Grand Prize: NGN750, 000
*Second Prize: NGN500, 000
*Third Prize: A Windows Phone 8 device (X5)
Speaking on the partnership, Partner Manager, Developer
Experience, Nokia, West Africa, Mr. Olumide Balogun said that Nokia was
thrilled to partner with Microsoft, to bring the 9jApps competition to both
students and independent developers.
We are looking forward to some great solutions on the phone side
leveraging both Microsoft WP and our Lumia devices capabilities to deliver
locally relevant apps that we can export to the world, he said.
Reacting further about the partnership, the Country Manager, Dell,
Nigeria Chuks Udensi said “Dell remains committed to the partnership and looks
forward to great innovations to come from the competition”.
Tunji Elesho Pre-Incubation and Research Lead for CCHub added that
“The Microsoft 4Afrika initiative is a laudable one which seeks to empower
Africans. The entire plethora of what Microsoft is bringing is massive”.