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KASITDA Secures $50,000 in Cloud Credits for Startups at Inaugural HEAT Hackathon Landmark event under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s digital agenda catalyzes innovation across Health, Education, Agriculture, and Transportation sectors KANO, NIGERIA – In a major stride toward accelerating Kano State’s digital transformation, the Kano State Information Technology Development Agency (KASITDA) has secured $50,000 in cloud credits for emerging tech startups, marking a historic investment in the region’s innovation ecosystem. The funding support was unveiled during the HEAT Hackathon 2025, held on October 11 at the E-Health Africa Auditorium in Kano. Organized under the visionary digital transformation agenda of His Excellency, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, the hackathon brought together 36 teams and over 150 innovators focused on solving real-world challenges in the state’s priority sectors—Health, Education, Agriculture, and Transportation (HEAT). The event marked a first-of-its-kind initiative in Kano, aiming to position the state as a hub for technological advancement and youth-driven innovation in Northern Nigeria. “This hackathon is not a conclusion, but a commencement,” said Dr. Bashir Abdu Muzakkari, Director-General/CEO of KASITDA. “Our promise to the brilliant innovators of Kano is that KASITDA will continue to provide unwavering support to build a thriving ecosystem that nurtures your ideas, supports your scale, and accelerates your growth. We are building the foundation for a Kano where technology creates tangible opportunities for all.” The $50,000 cloud credit package—secured through a strategic partnership with CloudPlexo, an Amazon AWS partner—will provide the top 10 performing startups with essential cloud infrastructure to develop, test, and scale their solutions efficiently. Additional support was offered by key ecosystem partners. All for Tech granted premium VPN access to participating teams, ensuring secure and unrestricted development environments. Enovate Lab committed to post-hackathon mentorship, including pitch refinement and business model development, to help startups transition from prototypes to viable enterprises. The success of HEAT Hackathon 2025 underscores Kano State’s commitment to fostering homegrown innovation and using technology as a catalyst for economic diversification and social impact. The Kano State Information Technology Development Agency (KASITDA) is the lead institution driving the Kano State Digital Transformation Agenda (2025–2030). Established by the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, KASITDA is mandated to promote ICT-driven development, strengthen digital infrastructure, foster innovation, and empower local talent across Kano State. Communications Unit, KASITDA