• Senegal launches 2025 Gov’athon to modernize public administration
• Over 2,000 participants submitted 812 innovation projects for selection
• Hackathon supports national tech goals under 2025 “New Technological Deal”

The Senegalese government launched the second edition of Gov’athon, a national hackathon dedicated to digitally modernizing public administration, in Dakar on Friday, Oct. 24.

The initiative marks an important step in identifying and supporting practical solutions to improve public service efficiency and promote citizen-driven innovation.

The 2025 edition drew a strong response, with 812 projects submitted over 10 days by more than 2,000 participants from academic, entrepreneurial, and civic backgrounds. A total of 104 projects advanced to the final phase , 72 in the Student category, 11 in Startups, and 21 in Citizens.

The final round, scheduled for December, will follow an intensive mentoring and training program to help refine the shortlisted projects. A panel of experts will then select the winning teams in the Student and Startup categories. The winners will receive tailored support to transform their prototypes into operational tools for public administration.

Gov’athon is part of Senegal’s “New Technological Deal”, a national strategy launched in February 2025 to position the country as a leading player in Africa’s digital economy by 2034. The plan targets the creation of 500 certified startups, the training of 100,000 young people in digital professions, and a 95% connectivity rate.

The 2024 edition produced several high-impact projects, including AI Karangué, Firndé Bi, and Agri-Drone Vision, which received awards of 20, 10, and 5 million CFA francs, respectively. These projects highlighted Gov’athon’s key role in modernizing public administration and promoting local digital innovation in education, health, and agriculture.

With this new edition, the government aims to deepen the connection between citizen innovation and public governance while supporting homegrown tech entrepreneurship. The initiative is expected to make public services more efficient, accessible, and aligned with user needs.

Samira Njoya