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Ukorebi Esien | October 20, 2025
CALABAR— The City of Calabar came alive on Monday as 20 secondary schools across the state converged for the Empowering Cross River State Youths in Tech and Artificial Intelligence Challenge, the first of its kind in the state, organized by The True Elites Group in partnership with the Cross River State Government through the Ministry of Youth Development and Skill Acquisition.
The two-day competition, which forms part of the group's Tech Spark Challenge initiative, is aimed at promoting creativity, innovation, and digital literacy among young learners in secondary schools. The event features quizzes, project displays, and demonstrations in technology and artificial intelligence, designed to identify and support emerging talents in the state.
Speaking during the event, the Founder and President of The True Elites Group, Ms Bassey Ekpeyong, said the initiative was born out of a passion to drive what she described as "real change" in society by investing in the next generation of innovators.
"We are a group of people who came together to enforce the kind of change our society truly needs — not the audio change, but real transformation," she explained. "We realized that while most organizations target university students, the secondary school level is where real learning and cognitive development happen. That's why we decided to bring this challenge to our younger ones."
Ekpeyong, a Cross River indigene based in Port Harcourt, said the 2025 edition marks the official flag-off of the Tech Spark Challenge across the six South-South states, with Cross River chosen as the pilot state.
She disclosed that the winners of the challenge would undergo a one-year intensive training in technology and artificial intelligence, alongside other benefits, as part of efforts to sustain the impact of the initiative.
"After this competition, the top three winners will receive full-year sponsorship in tech and AI training. This will help them grow their capacity, sharpen their skills, and prepare them for the future of work," she added.
Also speaking, the Vice President of The True Elites Group, Dr. Adeyemi Tosin, commended the intelligence and creativity displayed by the participating students, describing them as "proof of the strong academic foundation in Cross River State."
"We were taken aback by the brilliance of these students," Dr. Mitosin said. "Their understanding of tech and AI concepts shows that the state's educational system is truly impactful. We, the organizers, have learned a lot from them."
He further noted that the competition would climax on Tuesday, October 21, with the presence of top government officials, including the Governor, as students showcase their projects before the panel of judges.
Winners of the challenge will receive ₦1 million, a brand-new laptop, and a one-year tech training sponsorship for the first position; ₦500,000, a tablet, and training support for the first runner-up; and ₦200,000, a smartphone, and training support for the third position.
Ekpeyong expressed gratitude to the Cross River State Government, particularly the Ministry of Youth Development and Skill Acquisition, for embracing the project and supporting its rapid implementation.
"We thank His Excellency, Senator Prince Bassey Otu, for his support, and also the Honourable Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Ijom Ukam, who has been amazing. The government gave us the platform to make this happen within three months," she noted.
The Empowering Cross River State Youths in Tech and Artificial Intelligence Challenge continues Tuesday with project presentations and the official unveiling of winners, marking a significant step in nurturing the next generation of digital innovators from Cross River State.
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