Build for Africa (BFA) in collaboration with Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) have celebrate innovation and creativity among 80 teams of young tech enthusiasts across the world through the Build For Africa A.I Hackathon 2024.
The three-day hackathon, held through February 22 – 24, 2024, was hosted on the popular hackathon website – DevPost and three winning teams out of seven finalists.
The hackathon had participation from teams across the African continent, notably, Nigeria, Kenya, Morocco, Tanzania, and Uganda as well ad from the United States, India and Uzbekistan.
The tech initiative and educational institution not only brought to light the inventive solutions conceived by students and aspiring innovators, but also underscored the essential role of collaboration in pushing forward technological solutions aimed at societal enhancement.
The hackathon witnessed the exceptional performance of two teams with Yabatech students as members, who distinguished themselves by securing the first and third places in the hackathon.
Esther Ogbonna and Adeniran Owolabi, clinched the top prize for building their ‘Agrihealth’ design, a cutting-edge predictive analytics system to safeguard the health of livestock and crops.
Oghenetega Biokoro emerged as the third winner for his presentation of ‘Facial Attendance’ – attendance system that uses computer vision.
Their innovative solutions were noted for their creativity and potential to bring meaningful change, serving as a testament to the rich talent pool at Yabatech and the efficacy of Build for Africa’s mission to empower and inspire.
Meanwhile, Abinaya Selvaraj, Naveen Kumar and Sanjai L, a team of Indian innovators won second prize with their opptisense solution for diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy.
This collaborative effort between Build for Africa and YABATECH has laid the groundwork for future partnerships, with the ambitious goal of fostering innovation across the continent and transforming the educational and technological landscape in Africa.
A Vice President at Citibank in New York, USA, Mr. Titus Obiezue, and one of the expert judges chosen based on their outstanding achievements, praised the innovative ideas presented by the participants at the hackathon.
They noted that it is a sign of development and progress for the continent and a testament to the immense skill and potential of its people.
Speaking at an awards ceremony to honour the standout participants of the hackathon, the Rector, Yabatech, Dr. Ibraheem Adedotun Abdul, said the hackathon was dedicated to serve as a call to action for innovators to leverage artificial intelligence to solve complex problems in agriculture, healthcare, education, risk management and finance, poverty alleviation, governance and policy formulation with meaningful social impact.
Abdul commended the remarkable achievements of Yabatech students in the Artificial Intelligence hackathon and underscored the critical importance of AI in driving future developments and shaping the technological landscape.
Expressing his gratitude towards Build for Africa for its pivotal role in motivating African youth to explore AI, Abdul recognised the swift pace at which global AI adoption is unfolding.
He urged the students to partake in international competitions, emphasising the universal relevance and indispensability of AI across various academic and professional disciplines.
Highlighting the inclusivity of AI beyond the confines of computer science, Abdul shared his ambition to see rapid AI growth within the college’s educational offerings, aspiring for this commitment to AI education to be embraced more broadly.
Representing the Build for Africa team, the Co-Founders Mr. Abdullah Atitebi, Abdul-Hakeem Omotayo, and Mahmud Adeleye jointly shared insights on the collaborative effort with YABATECH, emphasising the initiative’s role in fostering a new wave of technological talent across the continent.
They highlighted the importance of such partnerships in providing practical experience and exposure to emerging technologies for students, ultimately contributing to the development of innovative solutions with real-world applications.
The Co-Founders expressed optimism about the future, noting the potential for these young innovators to drive significant social and technological progress.
They stated that Build For Africa envisions a future where African innovators and entrepreneurs are at the forefront of global technology and innovation, driving sustainable growth and development across the continent.
They said the vision is to create a vibrant ecosystem where every idea has the potential to spark change and contribute to a brighter, more sustainable future for all Africans.
The Programme and Implementation Committees of the hackathon were led by Abdulmalik Lawal, Mariam Allison, Rukayat Smith, Zulykha Akinjobi, Ojugbele Hammed, and Yusuf AbdulSalam.
