Mobile telecommunications company, MTN has launched its fifth edition of the MTN Ghana apps challenge competition.

This year’s competition is aimed at empowering the youth in developing innovative digital projects.

The apps challenge will see talented app developers using technology to solve everyday challenges facing societies.

The apps challenge version 5.0 comes after four successful editions since the launch of the first apps challenge in 2013.

Speaking at the launch held at the MTN head office in Accra, the Head of Department, Computer Science and a Senior Lecturer at Ashesi University, Dr. Ayorkor Korsah said last year’s challenge sort to address problems in the health sector.

She said the MTN apps challenge should be an opportunity for app developers to take on some of the difficult problems facing our communities and turn them into opportunities to make an impact with technology.

“I see the MTN apps challenge as a wonderful opportunity to take some of the difficult problems facing our communities and turn them into opportunities to make an impact with technology” she stressed.

She, therefore, encouraged participants to see the competition as an opportunity to share ideas and proves of concepts of how technology can revolutionize our lives and make the world a better place.

The innovations manager at MTN, David Narh tells Ghanaweb that since the launch of the apps challenge in 2013, female participation has been low, therefore, in expanding, MTN has introduced the girl’s code event which has brought together girls or women from other innovation hubs and they were taken through some training which will feed into the challenge proper.

He said the long-term benefit for participants is to be integrated into the MTN network in order for the female participants to make money.

Mr. Gbeasor Alain a jury member stated that this year’s apps challenge version 5.0 will commercialize and make the application viable.

He cautioned app developers who will participate in the apps challenge version 5 to have a plan for the sale of their apps before they can participate.