Youth win festive season cash in NITA-U cybersecurity quiz

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The National Information Technology Authority of Uganda (NITA-U) is awarding millions of shillings in cash to young people that are taking part in their cybersecurity quiz dubbed, ‘NITA-U Festive Quiz.’ For two weeks now, individuals have won Ugx500,000 from participating and winning in the quiz with groups of at least 5 bagging the Ugx3,000,000 for group entries.

According to Arnold Mangeni, the Director of Information Security at NITA-U, the quiz runs two questions on different cyber security themes each week targeting the individual entrants and the group winners. The quiz targets online users on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube basing on the most engagements and voting by fellow users. When a question is posted, the top 2 answers with the most engagement each win Ugx500,000 (and a gift hamper) and the Ugx3,000,000 (and a gift hamper) goes to the group entrants.

Mangeni explained: “The groups of 5 submit a video discussing a selected theme for that week. To be more inclusive, we have set strict guidelines to ensure that among the group of 5 there’s at least a female. Groups that submit all male participants don’t meet the criteria for winning.”

Originally designed to be a proper physical school quiz, NITA-U couldn’t execute it since schools are still closed and the format had to be adjusted to online. They had planned it as a hands-on cybersecurity awareness campaign for students but due to the COVID-19 circumstances, it is thriving online.

“We know students are at home and many are online…this quiz is a way to get them to positively be involved in the said quiz and at the same time create awareness about cybersecurity for themselves and their peers in a way they can understand,” Mangeni added.

Andrew Mugisha and Bwire Ian Jeremiah were the first week individual winners and they both walked away with Ugx500,000 cash and goodies from NITA-U. The quiz winners for week 3 trivia were announced on Dec.10 ahead of the final week that goes into the festive season.