BudgIT Data Fest 2025 is a pioneering, citizen-focused hackathon designed to demystify the federal government budget and foster deeper public engagement with fiscal data. This collaborative event brings together a diverse mix of talents to explore, analyse, and creatively communicate insights from Nigeria’s federal budget.
Participants will work in teams to uncover and present findings using data visualisation tools, ultimately transforming complex financial data into easy-to-understand formats for civic education and advocacy.
Objective
The primary aim of this event is to empower citizens to engage with the budget process and communicate complex fiscal information through visually compelling infographics. Participants will develop skills in budget analysis, data visualisation, and advocacy messaging, ultimately showcasing the capacity of everyday citizens to influence public discourse on fiscal matters.
Event Format
- Participants: Approximately 40 individuals, organised into teams of 5-8 members.
- Participants are meant to have at least one person with a laptop device. Internet access will be provided by BudgIT.
Team Composition: Each team will include:
- At least one public finance/budget enthusiast
- One tech developer
- One graphic designer
- One data analyst
Kick-off Primer: The event will begin with a comprehensive introduction to budget analysis, covering:
– The structure of a budget
– Components of recurrent and capital expenditures
– Key considerations for effective analysis
Group Activities: Teams will be assigned a specific sector or theme from the budget to analyse, including but not limited to:
– Health
– Education
– Security
– Works
– Agriculture
– Environment
– Frivolous expenditures
Each group will explore their designated theme, extract insights, and create engaging multimedia outputs.
Deliverables
Participants will produce:
– Infographics or multimedia presentations that highlight key insights from their budget analysis.
– Each output will be reviewed and judged by the BudgIT panel based on creativity, clarity, and effectiveness in communicating fiscal information.
Prizes:
- First Position – N500,000
- Second Position – N300,000
- Third Position – N200,000
The Budget Hackathon promises to be an exciting opportunity for citizens to actively engage with the federal budget, develop valuable skills, and contribute to meaningful advocacy efforts. Together, we can illuminate the complexities of fiscal policy and empower individuals to make informed contributions to public discourse.
To sign up, visit, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdQt3Q03JSXOPABkXIFgoevVJPkTa_JN5XBCxFMY9h4oHkt3Q/viewform
