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Miva Open University has concluded the second edition of the Miva AI Hackathon, a three-day innovation programme that brought together Miva students from across Nigeria, in person and virtually, to develop solutions powered by artificial intelligence addressing real challenges across sectors in Africa.
Held under the theme ‘AI for Africa’s Real Challenges’, the hackathon combined a keynote session, fireside chat, panel session, workshop, mentorship, collaborative product development, and a final pitch competition.
The event opened with a keynote address by Dr Obadare Peter Adewale, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Digital Encode and Professor of Practice at Miva Open University. He encouraged participants to focus on solving practical challenges in agriculture, healthcare, finance, and more rather than building AI applications for the sake of technology.
He said, “When you’re thinking about what you need to build, think about what is dangerous, what is dull, what is dirty, and what is difficult.
“We have started with the hackathon, but guess what? We can introduce an AI-lympics—an AI startup competition in Africa—to really bring about the next generation of innovation. Because we start to attract innovators from across.”
The programme also featured a fireside chat between AI policy expert David Timis and Udochi Obiukwu, Chief Academic Officer at The uLesson Group. Their discussion explored the implications of artificial intelligence for work, education, and society. While acknowledging concerns about job displacement, Timis encouraged participants to view AI as an opportunity to develop new skills and remain adaptable.
“It’s important to use these moments of transition, while we still have time, to position ourselves as individuals and as a society on the path that would better insulate both individuals and society from the more negative scenarios that you hear about in the media or read in the press.”
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The panel was moderated by Binta Gali, Senior Manager of the Career Advancement Centre at Miva Open University, and featured Davidson Amedu, CEO of Upportune International; Paul Ehiagbonare, Chief Technology & Innovation Officer at The uLesson Group; Yemisi Ajeojo, Founder of Zenith Social Enterprise Limited; Olaoluwa Adewusi, Communications and Community Manager at NASENI; and Chisom Nwokwu, Software Engineer and Executive-in-Residence (EIR) at Miva Open University. Together, they explored the topic, “Can AI Solve Africa’s Biggest Challenges?”
The panel discussion emphasised that Africa’s AI future depends on solving real problems rather than chasing technology trends. Speakers encouraged founders to understand the people they are building for, design solutions that reflect Africa’s realities, invest in local data and infrastructure, communicate AI’s capabilities honestly, and use the technology responsibly. They also highlighted the importance of strong leadership, practical problem-solving, and updated university curricula that equip graduates to build scalable, locally relevant AI solutions with global potential.
Throughout the hackathon, participants collaborated with mentors to refine their ideas, iterate on their products, and prepare for Demo Day. The event enabled a collaborative environment where teams exchanged ideas, received strategic feedback, and strengthened their products and presentations.
On the final day, digital transformation leader Akanni Isaac led a workshop on pitching AI solutions, encouraging participants to think beyond product development and consider market validation, storytelling, and customer value.
Five teams presented AI-powered solutions aligned with the event theme. Team Nexus developed Murraq, a platform connecting farmers with verified buyers to improve market access. Team Vertex developed Huzzler, a platform connecting aspiring technology professionals with engineering projects to build practical experience. Team Matrix introduced SpatialCare, a solution designed to improve awareness of healthcare services and existing healthcare policies. Team Cipher presented OpenFarm, an AI-powered farming assistant that supports farmers with crop management, disease detection, and harvesting decisions. Team Vector introduced Medlink, an AI-powered patient triage solution designed to reduce waiting times and improve prioritisation in healthcare facilities.
Following the final presentations, Team Vector emerged as the winner. Team Cipher came second, while Team Vertex finished third.
Beyond the competition, the Miva AI Hackathon 2026 provided participants with opportunities to engage directly with academics, founders, AI practitioners, and industry mentors while applying their knowledge to practical challenges. The event reinforced the role of artificial intelligence as a tool for solving meaningful problems and highlighted the importance of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning in preparing the next generation of technology leaders.
About Miva Open University
Founded in 2023 by the uLesson Group under the leadership of Sim Shagaya, Miva Open University is a licensed private open university in Nigeria. The university aims to make higher education more accessible by combining technology-enabled instruction with flexible study options and physical support centres. Its academic offerings span computing, management, health sciences, social sciences, and education, as well as short professional courses for continuous learning.
