1. Eligibility

• Open to individuals aged 18 years and above.
• Participants may enter individually or as part of a team (up to four (4) members).
• Employees of MTN Group, its affiliates, sponsors, and immediate family members may not be eligible.
• Proof of identity and eligibility may be required.

2. Registration

• All participants must complete the official registration form before the deadline.
• By registering, participants agree to abide by these T&Cs and the Code of Conduct.
• Incomplete or late entries will not be considered.

3. Hackathon Rules

• Participants will have 48 hours to ideate, build, and present a prototype/solution.
• All submissions must be original and created during the hackathon. Pre-existing projects are not allowed unless approved by organizers.
• Use of open-source libraries and APIs is permitted, provided licenses are respected.
• Teams must present their solutions within the allocated time.

4. Intellectual Property (IP)

• Participants retain ownership of their ideas, code, and prototypes.
• By participating in the Hackathon, teams and individuals hereby grant MTN Group Fintech and sponsors the right to use project descriptions, demos, and media for marketing and promotional purposes.
• The participants hereby grant a royalty free, sub-licensable and exclusive license to use the project descriptions, demos and products for marketing and promotional purposes to MTN Group Fintech and the sponsors
• If participants use third-party materials, they must ensure compliance with copyright, licensing, and usage rights.

5. Judging Criteria

Solutions will be evaluated based on:

1. Innovation & Creativity
2. Relevance to Fintech Challenges
3. Feasibility & Scalability
4. Technical Execution
5. Presentation & Pitch

The judges’ decision is final and binding.

6. Prizes

• Cash prize of USD 10,000 to be distributed among 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd prize winners. Payable in local currency at prevailing exchange rates.
• Prizes are non-transferable and subject to applicable taxes.
• The organizers reserve the right to substitute prizes with similar value items.

7. Code of Conduct

• Participants must maintain professionalism, respect, and inclusivity.
• Harassment, plagiarism, cheating, or sabotage will lead to immediate disqualification.
• Alcohol, drugs, and unlawful behavior are strictly prohibited.

8. Liability & Disclaimers

• The hackathon is provided on an “as-is” basis. Organizers are not liable for:
• Technical failures, interruptions, or errors.
• Loss of data or intellectual property.
• Personal injury, theft, or damage to property during the event.
• Participants are responsible for their own equipment, expenses, and travel arrangements.

9. Privacy & Data Protection

• By registering, participants consent to the collection and use of their personal data for event administration, communications, and publicity.
• Data will not be shared with third parties beyond sponsors/partners without the participants’ consent.

10. Amendments

• The organizers reserve the right to amend or update these T&Cs at any time.
• Any changes will be communicated to participants via email or official event channels.