FNB Hosts Africa’s Biggest Hackathon — 10,000+ Coders Building Tech for Change
Over 10,000 coders, designers, and problem-solvers from across the continent came together at the FNB Hackathon, Africa’s largest coding event, to create tech solutions that drive real social impact — all in just 72 hours.
Hosted at 22 on Sloane — Africa’s biggest startup campus and entrepreneurship hub — and streamed online to thousands more participants, the hackathon united Africa’s top digital talent under one mission: to use technology to tackle some of the continent’s toughest challenges.
Now a continental movement, the annual FNB Hackathon has become a celebration of Africa’s innovation ecosystem — showcasing that local developers have the creativity, technical skill, and purpose-driven mindset to build scalable solutions that make a difference.
Participants built impactful prototypes across five key focus areas:
- Jobs & Economic Resilience: Creating pathways into the digital economy, fighting unemployment, and supporting small business growth.
- Infrastructure & Essential Services: Innovating tools for reliable power, water, and transport access.
- Inequality & Social Cohesion: Bridging divides across income, race, gender, and nationality through inclusive digital design.
- Climate Resilience & Food Security: Building climate-smart solutions to protect communities and food systems.
- Public Safety & Gender-Based Violence: Using tech to strengthen safety networks and restore community trust.
All teams that submitted viable solutions now stand a chance to win the Best Hackathon Solution at the upcoming FNB App of the Year Awards (December 2025).
This year’s hackathon also marked the finale of the FNB Business App Academy, a fully funded nine-week virtual coding bootcamp that graduated over 33,000 new full-stack developers earlier in the year.
“What we witnessed was extraordinary — a community of coders using their skills for good. In just 72 hours, they showcased the innovation, teamwork, and optimism that define Africa’s digital future,”
said Janis Robson, Business Development Head at FNB.
Robson, who leads the SME Segment at FNB Commercial, is a vocal champion for entrepreneurship, youth empowerment, and digital transformation in small business ecosystems.
The hackathon also featured opening remarks from Marianne Kekana, Chief Data & Analytics Officer at ConnectMe (FNB’s digital innovation division), and Katleho Mahloane, Marketing Executive Head for FNB Commercial.
A highlight was a fireside session with Bertha Kgokong from Tati Digital, creators of Jiinue — a platform tackling youth unemployment that won Best Hackathon Solution at last year’s FNB App of the Year Awards.
From bold ideas to working prototypes, the 2025 FNB Hackathon proved one thing: Africa’s next generation of coders isn’t just writing code — they’re writing the continent’s digital future.
