The application for Upskill by Cardtonic 4.0 is open, and young techies will walk away with brand-new MacBooks, fully funded scholarships, and cash prizes.

Since the first edition of Upskill in 2022, an initiative by Cardtonic, a leading fintech brand in Africa, more than 50 brand-new MacBooks have been awarded to tech enthusiasts along with cash prizes and potential job opportunities.

Now, if you missed out on the previous editions, take a deep breath and read carefully, as the application for Upskill 4.0 is currently open, and you stand a chance to win bigger opportunities.

Twenty-five brand-new MacBooks, twenty fully funded AltSchool Africa scholarships, plus ₦250,000 for each scholar, and monetary support for 15 runners-up are up for grabs.

So, if you are a Ghanaian with a tech skill or you are just starting in the tech industry, one of these opportunities could be yours in the next few months.

Upskill 4.0 With A Difference

The driving force behind Upskill by Cardtonic from day one is this: to support tech enthusiasts with the right resources and opportunities they need to grow their careers.

The previous editions have achieved this through brand-new MacBook giveaways and cash prizes. However, this edition, Upskill 4.0, is adding more wings to achieve this goal.

Specifically, it is supporting young tech talent in two dimensions: a MacBook giveaway to 25 tech professionals and a fully funded AltSchool Africa diploma scholarship for 20 tech enthusiasts, with a prize of ₦250,000 for each scholarship winner.

Here’s how both tracks work. For the MacBook track, if you already have a skill in any of these tech categories, design, content creation, data science and AI engineering, cybersecurity, product management, or software engineering- with a strong proof of work, you stand a chance to win a MacBook.

Unlike the previous editions, Upskill 4.0 is open to both Nigerians and Ghanaians. Thousands of Ghanaians exchange gift cards, get virtual dollar cards, and pay bills on the app. Extending this opportunity simply strengthens the bond that already exists between the brand and Ghana's tech community.

The second track, officially named Upskill by Cardtonic Scholarship Fund 2026, is specifically for tech enthusiasts who are just building their careers from the ground up.

If you are in this category, you likely know the struggle: learning is scattered across different YouTube tutorials, structured courses are expensive, and opportunities are extremely rare.

This barrier is exactly what the Cardtonic scholarship aims to solve for newbies in any of these tech categories: design, data analysis, cybersecurity, product management, or software engineering.

AltSchool Africa is an accredited institution that offers structured, practical, and career-focused education tailored for African learners. The Upskill by Cardtonic fully funded AltSchool Africa scholarship, plus ₦250,000 cash support, eliminates cost, access, and opportunity barriers for the 20 winners.

Upskill 4.0 Eligibility Criteria and Timeline

Upskill 4.0 opportunities are intentionally bigger, and the selection process is rigorous and transparent to ensure the right people are selected.

Both tracks, MacBook and Scholarship, are open to Nigerians and Ghanaians who are younger than 30 years old. However, the application and assessment processes differ, and applicants can apply to only one track, not both.

For MacBook Track:

Applicants must be in any of these 6 tech categories: design, content creation, data science and AI engineering, cybersecurity, product management, or software engineering.

The application window opens from July 28 to August 28, 2026, and interested applicants can apply on this page.


Application reviews commence on August 31 and end on September 3, after which applicants will receive feedback on September 5.

Shortlisted applicants will conduct an assessment on September 12, and results will be released on September 14.

Applicants who move to the next stage will conduct an interview with TalentLlama, the official interview partner for the track, from September 22 to September 25.

Final selection takes place from September 29 to September 30, and winners will be announced between October 1 and 2.

Winners receive their brand-new MacBooks and prizes on October 10, 2026.

For Scholarship Track:

Only open to tech newbies who have an interest in any of these five categories: design, data analysis, cybersecurity, product management, or software engineering.

The application window opens from July 28 to August 28, 2026, and interested applicants can apply on this page.

Application reviews commence on August 31 and end on September 3, after which applicants will receive feedback on September 5.

Shortlisted applicants will conduct the AltSchool Africa entrance exam on September 12, and results will be released on September 16.

Applicants who move to the next stage will conduct an interview with TalentLlama, the official interview partner for the track, from September 22 to September 25.

Final selection takes place from September 29 to September 30, and winners will be announced between October 1 and 2.

Winners receive their scholarship and ₦250,000 cash prize on October 10, 2026.

What is Next

Whether you already have a tech skill in any of the six categories or you are just building one from the ground up, Upskill by Cardtonic exists solely to support your tech journey. Therefore, give it a shot today by submitting your application and await the next stage.

For Cardtonic, the consistent community investment over the past few years further strengthens its belief that tech talent is rarely limited by ability; instead, access to the right tools, opportunities, and support is the villain.



Over 50 winners who have already benefited from this initiative over the years prove this; they have gone from struggling to thriving in their respective careers, using their skills to solve real problems across different organizations, simply because a community provided them with access to the resources they needed.

The same, and even bigger, results await the next 60 young talents who will win this edition, and you could be one of them.