SystemSpecs, Africa’s leading payments, human capital and e-commerce technology powerhouse, has appointed respected personalities with proven commitment to driving national development through technology, into its panel of judges for the 2022 edition of its annual Children’s Day Essay Competition.

They include Dr. Babatunde Obrimah, Chief Operating Officer of Fintech Association of Nigeria; Engr. Mercy Olayemi, a frontline senior software engineer; techpreneur and Chief Executive Officer at Lucy.ng, Jumoke Lawoyin; and Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata Jnr., Special Adviser to the Anambra State Government on IT.

This disclosure comes after the closure of entries submission into the essay competition on April 29th 2022.

Meanwhile, other judges appointed to the evaluation panel are Wale Fatade, award-winning journalist and media trainer; Jide Ayegbusi, a social entrepreneur and founder of the tech-led education-focused platform, Edusko; and Dewale Otolorin, payments and financial services technology professional – all of whom are returning judges.

“As one of the manifestations of our corporate social responsibility focus on capacity development for national IT transformation, the appointment of judges for the SystemSpecs Children’s Day Essay Competition is one way we ensure that the top entries get their places among the stars and that merit continues to indeed be enshrined.

“We are convinced that, following the judging parameters and processes, the top entries would give Nigeria, and indeed the rest of Africa and the world, some of the brightest and most original ideas on how the educational sector can be transformed, leveraging technology,” said Oluwasegun Adesanya, SystemSpecs’ Group Head in charge of Corporate Services.

Dr. Babatunde Obrimah, Chief Operating Officer of Fintech Association of Nigeria, is a fintech enthusiast and a multi-skilled individual with working experiences spanning the banking sector, non-bank financial services sector, financial consulting services, project management, and the public sector. He currently serves on the board of various fintech firms.

Engr. Mercy Olayemi holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Computer Engineering and masters in Information Technology. With experiences spanning about 15 years in engineering, she currently adds value in her capacity as a software engineer with the Engineering Directorate of the Nigerian Television Authority. She is a member of the Computer Professionals of Nigeria (CPN), registered with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN).

A lawyer by training and a tech entrepreneur, Jumoke Lawoyin is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Lucy.ng, arguably Nigeria’s largest online gift store. She is a graduate of the University of Ibadan and the University of London. At Lucy.ng, she combines her cherished experiences in procurement, research, business development, management, and critical thinking to drive the day-to-day operations of a business that powers the gift procurement needs of a large number of organisations in corporate Nigeria.

Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata (CFA) Jnr. is the Special Adviser to the Anambra State Government on Information Technology. A multi-award-winning media professional; co-founder, GoDoHub; and Director, Founder Institute, Lagos, CFA is visible in some of Africa’s most respected broadcast, print and digital platforms developing weekly content geared towards helping Africans connect the dots using digital technology.

Other returning judges are financial and tech journalist, Abubakar Idris; Legal, Compliance & Company Secretarial Lead, First Ally, Adetola Adeleye-Fashoro; media consultant and author, Ayodele Arowosegbe; financial services expert, Dr. Hafis Bello; health law and bioethics enthusiast, Olo Egbokhare; Chief Communications Consultant and Co-Founder at The Comms Avenue, Adedoyin Jaiyesinmi.

Appointed newly are: A Creative Partnerships Coordinator at the Kings College School of Arts and Humanities, UK, Dr. Folakemi Ogungbe; a senior IT consultant, Engr. Frank Alonge; an IT intelligence professional, Chinyere Uwuilekhue; enterprise solution developer, Israel Olakanmi; a senior technology content provider and CEO of a leading tech startup, Precious Mogoli; a highly versatile product manager, Ameze Ogunfunwa and business manager and financial technology expert, Imo Ehimika.

The eminent panel of judges has the responsibility of evaluating and selecting winning entries in the junior and senior categories of the annual competition. They have the responsibility of bringing to national consciousness and recommending implementation options of the bright ideas espoused by participants from across the country.

Winners of the 2022 edition of the SystemSpecs Children’s Day Essay Competition will be announced on Children’s Day, May 27, 2022.

The organiser of the competition, SystemSpecs, is a 30-year-old pioneering technology powerhouse in Africa, providing payments, human capital technology and e-commerce solutions and services.

Update news