Malik Yahya/
Four female students of Ahmadu Bello University have been honoured after winning the Grand Prize at the 2025–2026 Huawei ICT Competition Global Final in Shenzhen, China, with an artificial intelligence-powered solution designed to improve malaria diagnosis in underserved communities.
The students were celebrated on Tuesday at a colourful reception organised by the Women Leading Change in Africa (WLCA) Project under the auspices of the IIOE Nigeria National Centre at the Yusufu Bala Usman Hall of the university in Zaria.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, described the students’ achievement as a landmark moment for the institution and Nigeria, noting that they had demonstrated that home-grown innovation could compete successfully on the global stage.
According to him, the award-winning AI solution addresses a critical public health challenge by enabling the diagnosis of malaria parasites in underserved communities, proving that technology can be harnessed to solve real-life problems.
He said the students’ success showed that Nigerian youths possess the talent and capacity to excel internationally when given the right opportunities and support.
“This achievement is significant not only because they emerged victorious, but because they used technology to tackle a pressing health challenge,” the Vice-Chancellor said, expressing confidence that the feat would inspire more girls across Africa to embrace careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Prof. Ahmed commended the students’ lecturers and mentors for their dedication and also praised the Women Leading Change in Africa Project and the IIOE Nigeria National Centre for organising the reception in honour of the winners.
He disclosed that the university had already begun the process of securing patent protection for the innovation and was collaborating with partners to refine and commercialise the AI solution for deployment in communities where it is most needed.
The Vice-Chancellor further announced plans to sponsor the students for advanced research and training at one of the university’s partner institutions in China to further develop their expertise.
Earlier, the Coordinator of the Women Leading Change in Africa Project and Head of the Department of Computer Engineering, Dr. Basira Yahaya, said the event celebrated not only victory but also resilience, innovation and the limitless potential of women in STEM.
She explained that the project was committed to expanding the participation and leadership of women in higher education through digital transformation, capacity building, networking and professional development.
According to her, the initiative has consistently trained women in digital skills, encouraged participation in micro-certification programmes and empowered female academics and students to compete globally.
The event also featured a keynote presentation on opportunities in STEM by Prof. J. J. Maina, alongside goodwill messages from senior university officials, including the Dean of Students, Prof. Sahalu B. Junaidu, the Dean of Life Sciences and Chairperson of the Committee of Deans and Directors, Prof. Maryam Aminu, and the Director of the Counselling and Human Development Centre, Prof. Hadiza Tukur.
Guests were also treated to a documentary showcasing the students’ journey to the Huawei global competition before the presentation of awards recognising their outstanding achievement.
The victory has further strengthened ABU’s reputation as a leading centre for technological innovation and highlighted the growing impact of Nigerian women in global digital and artificial intelligence research.
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