GCTU has successfully launched and established the local Chapter of the GEO-Africa Incubator/Accelerator Innovation Challenge 2025 (GAIAthon ’25), on April 3, 2025, at the Vice-Chancellor’s Conference Room.
The theme for this year’s GAIAthon, “Empowering Africa Youth to Innovate with IoT and Earth Observation,” aims at empowering Africa’s youth with the technological skills necessary to address the continent’s environmental and developmental challenges with practical training.
Delivering a speech on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, the Registrar, Mr. Emmanuel Baidoo, noted that the VC’s vision is to transform GCTU into a leading technology and innovation hub, aiming to make it the “Silicon Valley” of Ghana and the West Africa sub-region. This vision he said, is reflected in the University’s focus on ICT education and its commitment to fostering innovation and technological advancements. “This initiative aligns perfectly with that vision by fostering technological advancement, research and entrepreneurship thinking among students,” he emphasized.
The Registrar highlighted the importance of initiatives like GAIAthon in unlocking Africa’s vast potential. By providing a platform for talented individuals to showcase their skills and innovations, GAIAthon can help drive growth, development and progress in the region.
He underscored the importance of innovation challenges, mentorship and collaboration in helping students develop practical and impactful solutions. Mr. Baidoo encouraged the participants to embrace this opportunity and make most of it. “Your journey in GAIAthon ’25 could be the beginning of something remarkable,” he stated.
Speaking at the event via Zoom, the Founder of Edenway Foundation and Director of the GAIA Programme, Prof. George Wiafe, indicated that GAIAthon ’25 aims to foster an atmosphere of technological literacy among university students across Africa. He observed that this would empower students to innovate in EO and IoT within their academic disciplines, stating that the youth are the torchbearers who will drive development in Africa.
Prof. Wiafe elaborated that Edenway Foundation is poised to harness and equip Africa’s youth skills and resources needed to be leaders in sustainable development. He shed insights on how GAIAthon ’25 will equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to make a meaningful impact, highlighting that this can be achieved through three key objectives:
- Fostering innovation and collaboration
- Enhancing technological skills
- Recognizing excellence
Prof. Wiafe further stated that Africa stands at the intersection of growth and innovation, stressing that it has a unique opportunity to drive meaningful progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) by leveraging these technological advancements.
The Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Michael Nana Owusu-Akomeah, emphasized that every individual has hidden talents waiting to be uncovered, stressing that GCTU is actively working to nurture these talents, particularly in the field of technology and innovation. He noted that the University continues to gain recognition due to the exceptional students they have trained, who are making a significant impact in various organizations.
Earlier, in her remarks, the Dean of the Engineering Faculty and Coordinator of the programme, Dr. Ruhiya Abubakar, underscored the importance of innovation and technology in addressing real-world challenges. She stated that the innovation challenge aims to promote the adoption of Earth Observation (EO) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, create a collaborative platform for students and industry experts and enhance capacity building in emerging technologies, ultimately building a pipeline of talent by leveraging EO, IoT and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. Dr. Abubakar outlined the rules and regulations governing the competition including aspects such as team composition, project requirements and the evaluation process.
