Young techies in Nigeria and Ghana can now apply for MacBook awards and funded scholarships

Cardtonic has opened applications for Upskill 4.0, a dual-track talent programme that will award 25 MacBook M4 Pro laptops to experienced tech professionals and provide 20 fully funded scholarships to aspiring tech learners in Nigeria and Ghana, the company announced this week.

Applications went live on July 28, 2026 and will close on August 28, 2026, according to details published by Nairametrics. The programme is split into two distinct tracks: a hardware grant for professionals and a scholarship fund for learners.

The professional track will give 25 MacBook Pro laptops to individuals with at least three years of verifiable experience across six categories: software engineering, design and product design, product management, content creation, data science and AI engineering, and cybersecurity. For the first time, the MacBook award track is open to applicants in Ghana, a move that Pulse Ghana described as reflecting Cardtonic's growing presence and commitment in the country.

The second track, branded the Upskill by Cardtonic Scholarship Fund 2026, will send 20 recipients to AltSchool Africa on fully funded diploma scholarships. Each scholar will also receive a ₦250,000 stipend. TechCabal reported that both tracks sit under a single application window and share the same nationality and age requirements.

To qualify, applicants must be Nigerian or Ghanaian nationals and under 30 years old by the August 28 closing date. The MacBook track carries the additional requirement of three years of verifiable professional experience. The eligibility criteria were consistent across Punch and Edfrica.

Why Uplift 4.0 matters for the ecosystem

Cardtonic, a Nigerian fintech company best known for gift card exchange, virtual dollar cards, and bill payments, has been running its annual Upskill initiative since at least 2022. The programme has expanded steadily from laptop-only awards to a broader talent-development model that now includes scholarships and direct financial support for learners. Previous editions, including Upskill 3.0 in 2025, focused on similar MacBook M4 Pro prizes and youth tech support, Guardian Nigeria noted in earlier winner coverage.

The addition of Ghana marks a significant structural expansion. It extends what was previously a Nigerian-focused corporate initiative into another major West African startup market, signalling deeper cross-border ecosystem engagement from a Nigerian-founded company. For Ghanaian tech professionals and learners, the programme opens a tangible path to hardware access and funded training that previously did not exist through this channel.

Timeline and next steps

The review window is set for August 31 to September 3, with shortlist feedback expected on September 5. Both tracks will hold assessments on September 12: the MacBook track will run its own evaluation, while scholarship applicants will sit for the AltSchool Africa entrance exam on the same day. Results are due September 14 for the MacBook track and September 16 for the scholarship track. Winners and scholars will be announced between October 1 and 2, and the prize-giving ceremony is scheduled for October 10.

Interested applicants can find the official portal at the dedicated Cardtonic Upskill page. The programme's recurring nature and multi-edition track record, confirmed across several years of press coverage, make it a predictable fixture rather than a one-off campaign. With applications open for one month, the immediate focus for prospective candidates is meeting the eligibility documentation and preparing for the September assessment day.