Students of the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, in Imo State claimed all three top prizes at the maiden edition of the SkillUp Imo Contest, held at the weekend in Owerri.

Dorcas Paul emerged winner, earning ₦150,000, while Kelvin Joseph placed second for ₦100,000 and Ubi Augusta placed third for ₦50,000, in a competition that drew digital talents from training centres across the state.

Held at Imo Digital City Limited, the contest tasked participants with producing video documentaries highlighting five key achievements of the Executive Governor of Imo State, with entries judged on video editing finesse, production quality and audience engagement measured by social media likes, comments and shares.

The contest is a sub initiative of SkillUp Imo, the State Government's broader human capacity development programme launched in December 2022 under Governor Hope Uzodimma, which has since trained and equipped more than 65,000 young Imo residents with Fourth Industrial Revolution skills and start up kits. Imo Digital City Limited, which hosts the training centres competing in the contest, runs 14 digital hubs across the state as part of the government's push to position Imo as a hub for the digital economy in the South East.

Federal Polytechnic Nekede's training centre dominated the field, capturing all three podium positions and reinforcing the Institution's standing as a hub for ICT training and practical skills acquisition.

Reacting to the win, the Rector of the Institution, Dr Basilia Nkemdilim Igbokwe, credited the result to sustained institutional support for digital literacy and youth development. Her administration, working through the Directorate of ICT, has prioritised ICT driven initiatives aimed at equipping students with market relevant skills capable of competing at the highest levels, she noted.

Organisers commended the Imo SkillUp Centre Coordinator, Udo Ezekiel Ekpenyong, alongside the winning students, for their creativity, technical discipline and dedication in bringing honour to the Polytechnic.