Vibranium Valley X PowerTech Grand Challenge

PowerTech Remote Recharge Grand Challenge Nigeria’s IoT × Energy Hackathon Nigeria still relies on millions of prepaid electricity meters that require users to manually type 20-digit tokens to recharge power. Even when electricity is purchased online, the meter itself remains offline, fragmented, and vendor-locked. This hackathon exists to change that. The PowerTech Remote Recharge Grand Challenge is a 3-day, in-person IoT and systems engineering hackathon focused on one ambitious goal: Build a meter-agnostic remote recharge system that works with existing prepaid meters — no keypad, no manual tokens, no meter replacement. Participants will prototype components of a Meter-Agnostic Remote Recharge Gateway (MARRG) — a national infrastructure layer capable of remotely delivering electricity credit into any STS-based prepaid meter in Nigeria, regardless of manufacturer. This is not a demo-app hackathon. It’s a deep, infrastructure-level challenge spanning hardware, cloud systems, AI, and real-world deployment. The Challenge Nigeria’s prepaid meter ecosystem is complex and fragmented: Multiple meter manufacturers (Mojec, Conlog, Hexing, Secure, Momas, etc.)Different STS protocol implementationsManual keypad entry still required for most householdsFragmented DISCO backend systemsInconsistent connectivity (GPRS, NB-IoT, PLC)Legacy meters expected to remain in use for 12–20 more years The innovation is not a new meter. The innovation is a unified national layer that can: Interface with any existing prepaid meterDeliver tokens remotely into the meter automaticallyBypass physical keypad limitations via hardware or software bridgesIntegrate with DISCO vending enginesExpose APIs for fintechs, banks, and telcosEnable smart behaviour for “dumb” meters Who Should Attend This hackathon is for serious builders and systems thinkers, including: Hardware & embedded engineersIoT & connectivity specialistsCloud / backend engineersAI & data engineersElectrical & power systems engineersProduct, strategy, and commercial leads You can apply solo or as a team. Multidisciplinary teams are strongly encouraged. Tracks All teams work toward the same system, through different specialisations: Track A — Hardware Edge Devices Universal adapters, clip-ons, retrofit modules, or keypad-bypass mechanisms that interface with legacy meters. Track B — Cloud Software & Token Orchestration Unified STS engines, vending APIs, secure token delivery, retry logic, dashboards, and integrations. Track C — AI & Meter Intelligence Failure detection, tamper analysis, load prediction, optimization, and revenue-leakage prevention. Track D — Field Simulation & Commercial Model Deployment strategy across millions of meters, DISCO integration, pricing models, and national scalability. 3-Day Flow Day 1 — National Problem Briefing & Team Formation Participants are onboarded into the real Nigerian prepaid-meter landscape through keynotes and technical briefings from PowerTech, DISCO engineers, STS experts, and ecosystem partners. Teams form around skillsets and tracks, refine problem focus, and align on architecture and build plans. Day 2 — Build the Impossible A full sprint day dedicated to prototyping. Teams build hardware simulations or devices, cloud APIs, AI layers, and deployment models with hands-on mentor support from energy, fintech, and systems experts. By the end of Day 2, each team should have a functional prototype or realistic simulation and a clear demo narrative. Day 3 — Demo, Publish & Compete Teams present live demos to a judging panel drawn from the PowerTech ecosystem. Each team shares: A working prototype or simulationSystem architectureMeter-agnostic strategyToken delivery flowCommercial or deployment model Winners are selected based on feasibility, scalability, cost efficiency, meter compatibility, and real-world deployment potential. What Happens After Winning teams enter the PowerTech Foundry Program, a 90-day post-hackathon pathway that includes: Micro-grants and follow-on fundingIntegration with a DISCO partnerField pilots in real estatesAccess to meter OEMs and PowerTech partnersSupport toward commercialization, licensing, or acquisition This is how prototypes become national infrastructure. Why This Hackathon Is Different Focused on a single, high-impact national problemInfrastructure-level, not hype-drivenDesigned for real deployment, not slidewareBacked by ecosystem players who can ship pilotsBuilt to scale across millions of users Bring your tools. Build the impossible. Power a nation.