The United States Department of State has announced the West and Central Africa winners of the Apps4Africa programme. The first place was won by a Nigeria, Mr. Victor Ekwueme, who submitted a web-based application known as Hospital Manager.

The competition is part of the U.S. Department of State’s engagement with African partners to address local climate change challenges through the development of web-based and mobile applications.

Hospital Manager will help hospitals in Nigeria, identify patterns in patient visits.

Second place went to the EcoFund-Forum, a web-based application from Senegal that helps communities share successful strategies for adapting to local impacts of climate change. The third prize winner was Farmerline, a mobile and web-based app that will help farmers in rural Ghana obtain the information they need to increase yields in the face of changes in the growing season and climate variability. Winners will receive cash prizes. Private partners, including TED and Indigo Trust, are contributing follow-on support.

The winning applications were announced at the U.S. Center at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Durban. The announcement was part of an event highlighting country-driven solutions to climate change adaptation in Africa. The United States is working with partners to bring together practitioners, policy-makers, and African technology innovators to address climate change challenges through programmes such as the global Adaptation Partnership and Apps4Africa.

The East Africa Apps4Africa contest concludes December 20 and winners will be announced in January. The Southern Africa competition runs from February 1 through March 31, 2012, with winners announced in April.

Nigerian wins West Africa climate change competition