MATA Youth Hackathon on Government Communication, Branding & Trade Lead Ministry

About the challenge Kenya is home to one of Africa's most dynamic youth populations. Africa has the largest free trade area on earth. Yet the two have barely met — not because of policy failure, but because of a communication gap that no one has been paid to close. The MATA Youth Hackathon 2026 brings together Kenyan youth from all 47 counties to design the communication tools, guides, and systems that bridge that gap. This initiative is convened by Marketers Accelerating Trade in Africa (MATA), endorsed by the State Department for Broadcasting and Information, and funded by the Communication Authority of Kenya. The solutions built here will not sit on a shelf. The three winning teams will have their work deployed inside real government communication systems — making this one of the few hackathons in Africa where winning means your solution actually gets used. Get started Read the three tracks and decide which problem your team is best placed to solve Register your team - you need 2 to 5 members, all enrolled in a Kenyan tertiary institution Find your County PRO Officer at mataafrica.com/counties — they can connect you with mentors and resources in your area Join the WhatsApp support group [link at launch] for updates, Q&A sessions, and peer connection across counties Start building - the submission window opens on [date] and closes on [date]