Students showcase AI innovations at DeepFunding hackathon

A new generation of locally developed artificial intelligence solutions emerged from the Nigerian National AI Hackathon, with twelve student teams converging in Lagos for the grand finale. Organized by DeepFunding and SingularityNET, the event showcased innovations focused on critical areas such as healthcare access, language inclusion, and assistive technology.

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The competition was a growing push to encourage African developers to create AI products tailored to local realities rather than relying solely on imported technologies.

The hackathon, which included regional and university competitions across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones, culminated in a 12-hour build challenge and pitch session. Organizers emphasized the growing effort to encourage African developers to create AI products suited to local needs, moving away from sole reliance on imported technologies. The competition aimed to foster a more localized approach to AI development.

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The developers said the platform was built to address accessibility gaps in a country where millions of people communicate primarily in indigenous languages instead of English.

The top honor was awarded to "Doctor Robot," an AI-powered medical companion designed to offer healthcare guidance in various Nigerian languages. Its developers created the platform to bridge accessibility gaps in a country where millions speak indigenous languages rather than English. Team Sophia secured second place for an AI-driven community healthcare system aimed at improving grassroots medical support, while Team Eusate took third with a multilingual customer support platform.

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Organisers said the hackathon was designed not only as a competition but also as a gateway into DeepFunding’s decentralised AI ecosystem, where participating teams can continue building their projects and potentially publish AI services on the SingularityNET marketplace.

Other notable projects included an AI-automated medication dispensing system and an AI visual navigation solution for the visually impaired. The hackathon also served as a gateway into DeepFunding's decentralized AI ecosystem, allowing teams to continue developing their projects and potentially publish AI services on the SingularityNET marketplace. This model allows developers to retain ownership of their AI models while monetizing their intellectual property.

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The approach allows developers to retain ownership of their models while monetising their intellectual property, offering an alternative to traditional accelerator models that often require startups to surrender equity or control.