DevLab 2025, held in Cotonou from Dec. 3–5, 2025, marked Benin’s first national hackathon dedicated to open source software and digital public infrastructure. Organized by Agence des Systèmes d’Information et du Numérique in partnership with the Ministère du Numérique et de la Digitalisation du Bénin, the Mojaloop Foundation and the Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure, the event challenged emerging developers to design and test a Mojaloop-based mass payment solution for pension disbursement. The initiative combined hands-on technical training with a real-world use case aligned with Benin’s national digital priorities, reflecting the country’s goal of strengthening local capacity and advancing open source technologies that support digital sovereignty.
The hackathon followed a two-phase format that began with a 20-day online training program on the Mojaloop learning platform. From more than 200 applicants, 33 participants were selected to take part in the in-person hackathon, where teams collaborated on design workshops, development sprints and technical reviews. Mentors from partner organizations supported participants throughout the event, including Olivier Manzi, senior manager of adopter engagement and advocacy, and Nathan Delma, community engineering lead at the Mojaloop Foundation. Their participation highlighted the Foundation’s ongoing work to build technical expertise and support implementers developing Mojaloop-based payment systems.
