TechQuest announces the appointment of a technical program manager whose experience in digital transformation, enterprise systems, data governance, and operational optimization will guide this year’s evaluation process.
TechQuest has confirmed Mr Oyinomomo-emi Emmanuel Akpe as one of the judges for the TechQuest Innovation Award and Hackathon 2025. His selection comes at a time when organisations across Africa are seeking practical pathways for operational resilience and technology driven growth. His professional trajectory reflects a deep understanding of how systems, people, and processes interact, which places him among the most relevant voices to help guide this year’s assessment of innovation projects.
His appointment strengthens the credibility of the judging process. It brings into the panel a professional who has worked at the intersection of business operations and digital platforms, supported by research that shows how technology can improve performance in real organisational settings. For a hackathon that expects solutions rooted in practicality and measurable value, Mr Akpe’s involvement provides needed perspective and rigor.
Mr Akpe had built a career defined by structured problem solving, multidisciplinary leadership, and a clear commitment to technology enabled enterprise improvement. He serves as a Technical Program Manager with a foundation in business administration and information technology management. His ongoing doctoral research in project management adds academic depth to his practical experience, especially in the areas of execution, governance, and performance outcomes.
His work spans production, logistics, quality assurance, and enterprise systems. Over the years he has helped companies address operational bottlenecks by designing and managing solutions that integrate technology into day to day activities. He has worked with teams to digitise workflows, simplify reporting cycles, improve forecasting, and introduce platforms that support faster and more accurate decisions.
His strengths lie in understanding how technology actually behaves when introduced into real operations. This is evident in his involvement in enterprise resource planning programs, process automation work, predictive maintenance initiatives, and logistics planning improvements. He has coordinated projects that bring procurement, warehousing, production, distribution, and fleet operations into unified digital environments where information flows more consistently.
In parallel, he has built a strong research record on digital transformation, cloud modernisation, data governance, analytics adoption, enterprise IT management, and technology enabled performance optimisation. His papers cover ERP driven change, dashboard systems, forecasting models, and the use of analytics to support operations. This consistent blend of practice and research gives him a balanced perspective that is valuable for evaluating innovation ideas.
Track Record in Digital Transformation and Enterprise Systems
A significant part of his portfolio involves helping organisations move from fragmented and manual workflows to structured digital systems. His experience includes deploying enterprise resource planning platforms to synchronise processes, digitising operational documents to reduce delays, and developing real time operational intelligence dashboards that help managers track production, logistics, and quality indicators more effectively.
This work has required him to integrate data sources across different departments, define process flows that align with organisational goals, and coordinate technical teams for implementation. The systems he has worked on were designed to increase visibility, reduce downtime, and create a more reliable operating environment. Predictive maintenance efforts under his supervision helped companies shift from reactive equipment handling to planned interventions guided by data.
His transformation work emphasises sustainability, repeatability, and measurable improvement. It is grounded in the belief that enterprise systems should not only automate tasks but also enhance decision readiness for managers and frontline teams. These principles align strongly with the expectations of the TechQuest Innovation Award and Hackathon, where practical value and system level thinking are central.
Digital Transformation and Enterprise Systems Innovation
This category calls for judges who understand how enterprise environments evolve when digital tools are introduced. Mr Akpe’s background makes him a strong fit for assessing solutions that aim to reimagine enterprise operations or introduce new layers of visibility and control.
By 2025 he had led digital transformation projects that included ERP deployment, workflow digitisation, predictive maintenance programs, and real time operational intelligence systems. He has firsthand experience with the challenges teams face during transition phases, such as change management, system integration, data migration, and user adoption. His research further explores ERP driven transformation, cloud modernisation, and enterprise IT management, providing a theoretical foundation that complements his practical exposure.
These strengths position him to evaluate whether proposed solutions in this category are structurally sound. He is likely to look for clear articulation of the operational problems being addressed, the feasibility of the proposed digital architecture, the sustainability of the implementation, and the degree to which the solution improves organisational visibility or decision making.
Participants can expect him to focus on how well systems integrate with existing operational realities. He is also likely to value ideas that improve efficiency without complicating workflow for end users.
Data Governance, Business Intelligence, and Analytics Solutions
Data centred innovation requires more than technical skill. It depends on understanding how information is collected, structured, analysed, and used within organisations. Mr Akpe’s experience in this area is extensive. He has built business intelligence frameworks, supported analytics integration across production and logistics, and contributed to publications on data governance, forecasting models, dashboard systems, and analytics adoption.
His research record demonstrates a consistent interest in how organisations move from raw data to meaningful insight. He has written on the design of decision support tools, the importance of data quality, and the challenges of analytics maturity in developing environments. This gives him the ability to evaluate submissions with a balanced lens, considering both technical correctness and operational relevance.
During judging, he is likely to pay attention to the clarity of data models, the reliability of data sources, the scalability of reporting structures, and the strength of predictive elements. He will be interested in how analytics platforms support teams in taking timely action. Solutions that demonstrate strong data governance principles, transparent logic, and thoughtful user experience design are likely to stand out to him.
Participants should expect him to analyse both the technical architecture and the practical utility of analytics tools. He will look for innovations that reduce ambiguity, create actionable insights, and support better performance outcomes.
Industry Process Optimization, Automation, and Predictive Technology Projects
Operational efficiency remains a central theme across many industries, and this category focuses on innovations that improve reliability, reduce waste, streamline workflows, or introduce predictive intelligence into routine activities. Mr Akpe’s track record aligns closely with these priorities.
He has worked on optimising plant operations, improving logistics planning, automating compliance workflows, and implementing predictive maintenance programs. His experience managing technology enabled operations allows him to understand where inefficiencies typically originate, how automation can be introduced without disrupting service, and what performance measures matter most in industrial contexts.
His research on performance optimisation, application profiling, and technology enabled operations complements these practical achievements. He has explored how digital tools influence cycle times, resource utilisation, and service levels. He also understands the risk factors involved in process redesign, especially when operations depend on time sensitivity and resource coordination.
As a judge, he is likely to assess whether proposed optimisation or predictive solutions are grounded in realistic assumptions. He will examine how processes are restructured, how automation is implemented, and how predictions are generated or validated. He will be interested in evidence of measurable improvement, whether in cost, throughput, downtime reduction, or safety.
Participants should prepare to present clear logic, strong operational understanding, and credible implementation pathways.
What Participants Can Expect From His Approach as a Judge
Mr Akpe brings a structured and balanced approach to evaluating innovation. Participants should expect a judge who values clarity, practicality, and alignment with real industry needs. His emphasis will be on disciplined problem definition, thoughtful system design, and measurable performance outcomes.
He is likely to assess whether teams understand the root cause of the problem they are solving. He will look for solutions that use technology purposefully rather than for its own sake. Scalability and long term maintainability will matter to him. He will also examine how solutions integrate with existing processes and what level of training or change management will be required.
Teams can also expect him to favour submissions that demonstrate strong reasoning, transparent methods, and realistic implementation pathways. Solutions that combine innovation with practical execution will stand out.
The appointment of Mr Oyinomomo-emi Emmanuel Akpe to the judging panel reinforces TechQuest’s commitment to rigorous evaluation and industry relevant innovation. His background across digital transformation, data governance, and operational optimisation positions him as a valuable voice in assessing the ideas emerging from the TechQuest Innovation Award and Hackathon 2025.
This year’s participants will benefit from insights shaped by both hands on enterprise leadership and research driven analysis. His involvement signals that the hackathon will expect more than creative concepts. It will expect solutions that show clear understanding of problems, strong execution strategies, and meaningful potential for impact.
TechQuest invites innovators, founders, students, and professionals across West Africa to prepare their best work for the 2025 edition. With judges like Mr Akpe on the panel, the event will continue to advance practical innovation that strengthens organisations and supports the region’s growing technology ecosystem.
