The University of Lagos (UNILAG) Safeguarding Centre has taken a bold step in addressing technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) by hosting a groundbreaking hackathon and training programme on Wednesday, February 25, 2026.
Tagged the TFGBV App Challenge Hackathon, the event brought together Computer Science students to design innovative digital solutions to emerging forms of violence within and beyond the campus community.
According to the Acting Director of the Centre, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, the applications developed during the hackathon aim to help members of the University community recognise, document, report, and respond to technology-facilitated abuse in safe, confidential, and accessible ways. She explained that the proposed solutions directly address real challenges faced by students and staff, including cyberstalking, online harassment, sextortion, threats, and the non-consensual sharing of intimate content.
Her words, “As a University, we are proud that our students are applying their technical skills to build systems that protect not only fellow students, but also lecturers, non-teaching staff, and visitors, thereby promoting a safer and more inclusive learning environment for all.”
She reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to collaborating with key partners, including the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) and the United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UNTF), to refine and support the most promising innovations for real-world implementation.
One Hackathon, three teams
Three teams presented their prototypes before a panel of judges:
- Team LibreHub developed a mobile-based platform providing private, student-controlled support and reporting features. The team, comprising Odang Joshua and Elias Tobechukwu Joel, received a ₦500,000 prize as the overall winner of the hackathon.
- Team Safe Voice with Miss Elizabeth Ogunmola and Mr. Onyedikachi Thompson as team mates won the second prize of ₦300,000 for designing a rapid-response system enabling anonymous reporting of TFGBV cases.
- The third prize of ₦200,000 went to Team Safe Guardian Campus. The duo of Ajiboye Peter and Gbeleyi Okikiola created a cross-platform mobile application offering confidential reporting and institutional response tools.
Recognition and Rewards
The Director of Quality Assurance and SERVICOM, Professor Olufemi Saibu, who represented the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS, at the event, highlighted the University’s deliberate efforts to foster a safe and supportive environment where students can thrive, and achieve academic excellence. He announced that the hackathon teams would be formally recognised during UNILAG’s International Week in October.
Professor Saibu further disclosed that the winning team would be engaged to further develop the application into a comprehensive, one-stop platform integrating safeguarding, safety, quality assurance, and service delivery monitoring features. Such a platform, he noted, would enable students to monitor lectures, express concerns, report service gaps, and measure satisfaction with services across the University.
Safeguarding Training
Beyond the competition, the programme featured an interactive safeguarding training session led by Dr. Akiyode-Afolabi. She described safeguarding as both an ethical commitment and a set of practical measures designed to promote safety and wellbeing across the University community.
Participants were introduced to the four (4) Rs of Safeguarding: Recognise, Respond, Report, and Record, as well as the six (6) Cs: Care, Compassion, Competence, Communication, Courage, and Commitment. She also stressed the importance of effective whistle-blowing mechanisms to ensure that concerns are addressed promptly, fairly, and transparently.
Voices of Support
The Deputy Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Princess Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, commended the initiative. She noted that while technology has expanded opportunities for connection and innovation, it has also created new avenues for harassment and abuse. She pledged continued support for strengthening legislative frameworks that protect women and girls, alongside backing innovations that translate policy into practical protection.
The event also featured contributions from the following distinguished academics and advocates: Professor Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, Director of the Institute of Continuing Education; Dr. Chika Yinka-Banjo, Head of the Department of Computer Science, UNILAG; Dr. Princess Olufemi-Kayode, Executive Director of WARDC; Ms. Janet Anyango, Deputy Executive Director/Head of Programme at FIDA Kenya; and Hon. Akeem Olalekan Dauda, Chairman of Ikeja Local Government Development Centre to mention a few.
Through initiatives such as the TFGBV App Challenge Hackathon, UNILAG continues to demonstrate its commitment to leveraging innovation, partnership, and student creativity to build safer, more inclusive campus communities.
Author: Ndidi J. Odinikaeze
Editor: Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem
Photographer: Islamiat Akanni
