Twelve Teams Compete in National AI Finale
Twelve student teams from across Nigeria gathered in Lagos for the grand finale of the Nigerian National AI Hackathon.
DeepFunding and SingularityNET organised the event to spotlight locally driven artificial intelligence solutions.
The competition focused on healthcare access, language inclusion, and assistive technology.
The finale took place at the Remostart AI and Blockchain Labs last December.
It marked the end of a nationwide innovation programme that hosted regional and university hackathons across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Top-performing teams advanced to a final 12-hour build challenge and pitch session at Lagos Oriental Hotel.
Organisers Push for Local AI Solutions
Organisers said the hackathon aimed to encourage African developers to create AI products that solve local problems.
They stressed the need to reduce dependence on imported technologies.
The initiative also promoted stronger local participation in the global AI space.
Doctor Robot Wins Top Prize
Doctor Robot won the overall prize with its AI-powered medical companion.
The platform provides healthcare guidance in several Nigerian languages.
Its developers said they built the solution to address language barriers in healthcare access.
They noted that millions of Nigerians communicate mainly in indigenous languages rather than English.
Other Teams Deliver Strong Solutions
Team Sophia secured second place.
The team developed an AI-driven community healthcare system to improve medical support at the grassroots level.
Team Eusate finished third with a multilingual customer support platform.
The platform supports major Nigerian languages and Nigerian Pidgin.
Other finalists also introduced practical solutions.
Team SOAT built an AI-powered automated medication dispensing system.
Path Pilot developed an AI visual navigation tool for visually impaired users.
The team also won a Special Judges’ Award for strong presentation and solution design.
Hackathon Opens Path to AI Growth
Organisers said the event served as more than a competition.
It created entry into DeepFunding’s decentralised AI ecosystem.
Participating teams can continue building their products and publish AI services on the SingularityNET marketplace.
This model allows developers to keep ownership of their AI systems while earning from their intellectual property.
It also offers an alternative to traditional accelerators that often demand equity or control.
Experts Encourage African AI Ownership
Remostart CEO and DeepFunding representative in Nigeria, Ubio Obu, urged African developers to move beyond being consumers of foreign-built AI systems.
He encouraged them to become contributors to global AI infrastructure.
Obu also explained how decentralised AI frameworks can create opportunities for builders in emerging markets.
Ese Williams, Head of Marketing at Remostart, led sessions on startup storytelling and pitching.
She helped teams improve how they present ideas to investors and business partners.
Nationwide Structure Expands Inclusion
One key feature of the hackathon was its nationwide structure.
Organisers extended participation beyond major hubs like Lagos and Abuja.
They worked with coordinators and technical mentors across all six geopolitical zones.
The goal was to give underserved regions equal access to innovation opportunities.
National coordinator Prof. James Agajo led the broader initiative.
Dr B.K. Nuhu served as national secretary.
Regional coordinators also supported the programme across different zones.
AI Solutions Target Local Challenges
The projects reflected growing awareness among Nigerian developers of key social and economic issues.
Many solutions focused on healthcare access, language inclusion, disability support, and community-level services.
DeepFunding said the Nigerian hackathon could serve as a model for AI ecosystem growth in emerging markets.
Organisers believe Africa can strengthen local technology capacity as global AI interest continues to rise.
