In a remarkable display of innovation and entrepreneurial prowess, the University of Lagos contingent put up a winning performance at the Carnegie Mellon University Africa Entrepreneurship & Innovation Summit, which held in Kigali, Rwanda from January 24-26, 2024.
The Professor Sunday Adebisi-led team of student-entrepreneurs proved their mettle in the Global Challenge Competition, which tasked participants with providing solutions to pressing global issues within a tight 24-hour timeframe. A total of 16 teams, across four categories of AgricTech, Climate Change, EduTech, and FinTech, competed in the challenge.
Representing Team 9 (FinTech), Team 8 (AgriTech), and Team 2 (EduTech) in the challenge respectively, Adelusi Femi, Nnaemeka Praise Ifeakor, and Ifihanagbara Olusheye secured the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd positions. Their impressive performance gave the University of Lagos the honour of being the only participating university with representation in the top three spots of the Global Challenge Competition.
Team 9 devised a revolutionary FinTech platform, offering financial inclusion opportunities to rural populations through an end-to-end micro-funding service with integrated marketplace access and insurance.
Team 8 presented an AgriTech solution, enabling smallholder farmers to join a cooperative network, facilitating efficient bulk sales of farm produce through a mobile app.
Team 2 developed an AI-gamified learning platform for children while simultaneously providing parents with a digital workspace to become click workers.
The Lead of the UNILAG contingent, Professor Sunday Adebisi, also represented the University of Lagos with distinction throughout the summit. He moderated the opening panel discussion on Day 1, titled “A Pan-African Exploration of Opportunities for Youth Entrepreneurs”. On Day 2, he was Guest Speaker at a 45-minute workshop on “Collaborating for Impact,” during which he espoused on ideas that aligned with the summit’s goal of cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset in African youths. He also served as Judge during the preliminary stages of the Global Challenge Competition, evaluating the presentations of various teams from different universities.
The summit featured participants from 17 universities across Africa and the United States, who proposed ground-breaking solutions to global challenges in Agriculture, Climate Change, Education, and Finance. It concluded on a celebratory note with a dinner on Friday, where representatives from all participating universities donned the African attire. The University of Lagos contingent stood out among the crowd, showcasing their rich Nigerian culture with stylish and vibrant outfits, adding a cultural flair to the international event.
