Student teams showcase AI innovation at DeepFunding Nigeria finale

By Juliet Umeh

Twelve student teams from across Nigeria converged on Lagos for the grand finale of the Nigerian National AI Hackathon, powered by DeepFunding and SingularityNET, with healthcare, language inclusion and assistive technology emerging as dominant themes among participants.

The three-day event, held at the Remostart AI and Blockchain Labs, marked the culmination of a nationwide programme that hosted regional and university hackathons across the country’s six geopolitical zones before advancing the strongest teams to a 12-hour intensive build session and final pitch presentations at the Lagos Oriental Hotel.

At the end of the competition, Team Doctor Robot emerged winner with an AI-powered medical companion designed to provide healthcare guidance in multiple Nigerian languages.

According to the organisers, the solution was developed to bridge accessibility gaps in healthcare communication, especially for millions of Nigerians who access health information in languages other than English.

Team Sophia secured second place with its AI-driven community healthcare system, while Team Eusate came third with a multilingual customer support platform supporting major Nigerian languages and Nigerian Pidgin.

Other finalists in the top five included Team SOAT, which developed an AI-automated medication dispensing system, and Path Pilot, creators of an AI-powered visual navigation tool for the visually impaired. Path Pilot also received a Special Judges’ Award for exceptional pitch quality.

Beyond the competition, organisers said the hackathon was designed as a gateway into DeepFunding’s global ecosystem, allowing participating teams to continue developing and monetising their AI solutions through the SingularityNET marketplace while retaining ownership of their intellectual property.

Speaking during the event, Ubio Obu, Chief Executive Officer of Remostart and DeepFunding’s Nigeria representative, highlighted the opportunities within decentralised AI and the need for African developers to contribute actively to global AI infrastructure rather than remain consumers of foreign technologies.

He also guided participants through the stages of AI development and opportunities available within the decentralised ecosystem.

Ese Williams, Head of Marketing at Remostart, co-hosted the event and delivered a session focused on effective pitching strategies for startup founders and innovators.

A major highlight of the initiative was its nationwide structure, with organisers activating regional coordinators and technical mentors across the South South, South West, South East, North West, North East and North Central zones to broaden participation beyond Lagos and Abuja.

Regional coordinators included Prof. Autine for the South South, Dr. B.K. Nuhu as National Secretary, Engr. Olajide Blessing for the South West, Dr. Oreofe Ajayi for the North West, Daniel Obiyo for the South East, and Prof. James Agajo, who served as National Coordinator.

Organisers said the diversity of solutions developed during the hackathon reflected a growing understanding among young Nigerian innovators of local socioeconomic challenges, particularly in healthcare access, assistive technology, multilingual communication and automation.

They added that the Nigerian hackathon model could serve as a blueprint for AI ecosystem development across emerging markets as demand for locally relevant AI solutions continues to rise across Africa.

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