Lagos: The Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Foluso Lesi, has urged students to enhance their problem-solving skills through technology to foster societal advancement. Lesi delivered this charge during the grand finale of the Hack for Health Hackathon, organized by the National Information Technology Hub (NITHUB) at UNILAG.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the event, themed 'Bots, Brain and Bandage', focused on innovation in health technology. Prof. Lesi highlighted that the hackathon served as a platform for students to develop technological solutions and collaborate on innovative ideas. He praised the participants for their efforts and emphasized the importance of committing to finding technological solutions to propel Nigeria forward.
Prof. Lesi underscored the potential of technology in bridging gaps in healthcare accessibility, especially in remote areas, through the use of artificial intelligence. He noted the importance of diverse perspectives in developing robust solutions and was proud of the multidisciplinary teams participating in the competition.
Dr. Victor Odumuyiwa, Director of NITHUB at UNILAG, explained that the program aims to encourage problem-solving using technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence, to address African problems. He mentioned that out of 400 teams that applied, 200 were selected, with the top 10 making it to the grand finale. Dr. Odumuyiwa also highlighted the intention to make this hackathon an annual event.
The competition concluded with Project Theia taking first place and winning 2,500 dollars, followed by Team Castle in second place with 1,500 dollars, and Team Precision securing third place with 1,000 dollars.