Artificial intelligence is no longer just a tool for tech experts. For 135 girls from public secondary schools in Lagos, it has become a way to solve real problems affecting students and their communities.
The students developed AI-powered solutions focused on education, safety and bullying after participating in Tech4Dev’s maiden AI Inter-District Secondary School Challenge.
The initiative, organised under the Tech Girls Drive Advocacy programme of the Women Techsters initiative, introduced participants from Lagos Education Districts II and IV to practical AI and problem-solving skills.
The competition brought together girls from 27 public secondary schools, with each school nominating five students from Junior Secondary School 1 to Senior Secondary School 3 to build AI-driven solutions with support from teachers and volunteer mentors.
At the grand finale, six finalist teams presented projects designed to improve learning accessibility, student safety and school welfare.
Mende Junior High School emerged as the overall winner with Learning Without Limits, an AI-powered platform that converts classroom notes into sign language videos, simplified visual explanations, subtitles and voice narration to make learning more accessible for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
Onike Girls Junior High School finished second with Onike Girls Alarm Station, a personal safety application featuring a one-tap emergency alert and live GPS tracking to help girls seek assistance during emergencies, even in areas with poor network coverage.
Mende Senior High School claimed third place with SpeakSafe, an anonymous AI-powered reporting platform designed to help students report bullying while enabling schools to identify patterns and respond quickly.
Speaking at the event, Tech4Dev’s Country Manager for Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa, Abraham Akpan, said the challenge was created to prepare girls for opportunities in an AI-driven world.
“This challenge was about more than learning Artificial Intelligence. It was about helping young girls see themselves as creators, innovators, and problem-solvers. When girls are given access to the right skills and opportunities, they can build solutions that create real impact in their communities,” he said.
One of the participants said the programme completely changed her view of artificial intelligence.
“Before this challenge, I never imagined I could use AI. Working with my team showed me that our ideas matter, and it has inspired me to keep learning and building solutions that can help others,” she said.
Beyond the winning projects, participating schools also developed AI solutions addressing gender-based violence, adolescent health, environmental sustainability, financial literacy, unemployment, educational access and social inclusion.
Representing the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Mrs Oni praised the initiative for helping girls develop future-ready skills.
“Education must continue to evolve to prepare young people for the reality of tomorrow. Initiatives like this provide students with opportunities to develop critical thinking, creativity, and digital skills. We commend Tech4Dev for creating this platform and investing in the future of our girls,” she said.
Tech4Dev noted that the competition is part of its broader mission to expand digital skills training for girls in underserved communities through the Women Techsters Programme, which operates across 30 African countries.
As artificial intelligence continues to shape industries around the world, initiatives like this are giving young Nigerians the opportunity to move beyond using technology to creating solutions that can improve lives and transform communities.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.