Programos Foundation has announced the successful completion of the World Summit Award (WSA Nigeria) 2024 tech scouting process.
Congratulating “all the incredible innovators who emerged as winners”, Mr. Emmanuel Amos, founder, Programos Foundation and World Summit Awards National Awards for Nigeria, told Techeconomy that their products “stands out, and we are proud to have you represent Nigeria on the global stage”.
“Wishing all our winners the best of luck at the World Summit Awards Global Jury, where they will compete alongside tech talents from over 180 countries! Your journey is just beginning, and we can’t wait to see the impact you’ll make”, Mr. Amos said.
The WSA is a highly diverse and democratic award system that selects and promotes the world’s best digital innovation with impact on their respective countries.
WSA was initiated in 2003 in the framework of the UN World Summit on the Information Society (UN WSIS).
It contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals Agenda by recognizing local digital content with an impact on society, demonstrating the richness and diversity of innovative applications.
To date, 182 Countries are actively involved, making the World Summit Awards are a global hub for everyone who values the crucial importance of local content to make today’s information society more inclusive.
Be it an app to help the blind using smartphones, or a website reanimating history – the WSA offer a platform for those who think beyond the box.
Seven (7) startups selected for WSA (Nigeria) 2024 are;
1. Category: Learning & Education
Winner: Compass-AI
Compass AI, led by David Ojo, is a cutting-edge AI-powered platform designed to address the widespread challenges facing young tech enthusiasts in Africa and Asia.
The platform leverages psychometric AI to recommend tailored tech career paths, create personalized career roadmaps, and provide access to mentorship and community support.
With its focus on solving the pain points of tech beginners—such as confusion over career choices, lack of guidance, and community isolation—Compass AI stands out as an essential tool for developing tech talent in regions experiencing immense digital growth.
The product’s unique features, including a psychometric evaluation system, personalized learning paths, access to mentorship, and a built-in AI course moderator, position it as an innovative learning experience platform. With strategic partnerships with Udemy, Cera, and Allison, Compass AI offers extensive access to educational resources and mentorship opportunities while generating sustainable revenue through subscription models and commissions. In its beta phase, Compass AI has demonstrated strong market traction, with over 1,500 recommendations and 600 upskilled talents.
“This innovative solution aligns perfectly with the World Summit Awards focus on leveraging digital solutions for societal impact, making it an ideal candidate for the 2024 WSA Global Competition from Nigeria”, said Mr. Amos.
2. Category: Health & Well-Being
Winner: RollMal
Musami Umar’s product, RollMal, is a revolutionary AI-powered app that has the potential to significantly enhance the Nigerian healthcare system by introducing advanced AI mechanisms to combat malaria, one of the country’s most pressing health challenges.
The startup provides real-time risk assessment and personalized prevention strategies, particularly targeting vulnerable groups like pregnant women and children under five, who are most affected by the disease.
By leveraging AI technology to analyze user-reported symptoms and environmental factors, RollMal offers a proactive, data-driven approach to malaria prevention.
According to Mr. Emmanuel Amos, “This kind of innovation promotes the adoption of AI in healthcare by showcasing how intelligent systems can deliver precise, personalized health interventions”.
“By promoting RollMal, Nigeria’s health system can take a significant step toward adopting AI-driven solutions to tackle infectious diseases, improving public health outcomes, and setting an example for other nations in Africa”, he added.
3. Category: Business and Commerce
Winner: Exportplug
WSA (Nigeria) jury recommended ExportPlog for nomination in the Business and Commerce category at the WSA 2024 Global Competition for many reasons:
ExportPlog addresses critical challenges faced by smallholder farmers in Nigeria, enhancing market access and overcoming logistical barriers through its e-commerce platform.
By integrating AI-driven logistics, ExportPlog improves efficiency and reliability, showcasing how technology can drive social change and empower marginalized communities.
The platform promotes local agriculture, enhances livelihoods, and contributes to Nigeria’s economic development, aligning with global sustainability goals.
Scalable Business Model: With a projected profit of $14 million by 2029, ExportPlog has a viable revenue model and plans for expansion across Africa.
Also, by equipping farmers with the necessary tools to navigate global markets, ExportPlog while Revolutionizing Nigeria’s Non-Oil Export Industry uplifts individuals and fosters community resilience.
4. Category: Inclusion & Empowerment
Winner: VerionX
VerionX stands out as a winner in the Inclusion and Empowerment category due to its innovative approach in addressing the critical issue of youth unemployment across Africa.
By leveraging AI-driven tools, VerionX equips young Nigerians and African youth with essential skills, enabling them to transition from education to meaningful employment.
The platform’s personalized services, such as automated CV creation, interview preparation, and AI-powered job recommendations, address the growing mismatch between educational attainment and employable skills—one of the main contributors to the high youth unemployment rate, which stands at 42.5% in Nigeria alone.
VerionX doesn’t just prepare candidates for the current job market; it ensures access to emerging sectors like climate tech, making it a future-focused solution. Its integration of digital learning resources and partnerships with institutions like GWG further strengthens its ability to empower young people, preparing them for real-world demands.
In a continent where over 60% of the population is under 25, VerionX offers a scalable and sustainable solution, aligning with key Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4 and SDG 8).
By tackling unemployment at its core, VerionX empowers Africas next generation to thrive, driving economic growth, reducing poverty, and fostering a more inclusive society.
5. Category: Environment and Green Energy
Winners:
- CheapMarketDeal – category winner
- LoopBox (1st runner-up)
- CyclexAfrica (2nd runner-up)
CheapMarketDeal stands out as a winner because it addresses critical gaps in Nigeria’s agricultural sector through an innovative digital solution.
By directly connecting smallholder farmers to buyers, it eliminates the need for intermediaries ensuring farmers receive fair prices for their produce.
This empowerment leads to increased income for farmers, fostering their financial independence.
Additionally, the platform offers microloans for purchasing high-quality inputs, which improves agricultural productivity and profitability.
The integration of warehousing services and partnerships with key stakeholders ensures a seamless supply chain, significantly reducing post-harvest losses—an issue that contributes to food insecurity in Nigeria.
In a country where over 70% of the population relies on agriculture, CheapMarketDeal’s solution has the potential to transform lives.
The platform not only addresses market access and financial constraints but also enhances food security by making fresh produce more available.
The LoopBox solution by ArleeGreen, which earned the esteemed position of 1st runner-up in the Environment and Green Energy category, represents a groundbreaking and transformative approach to solving one of Nigeria’s most pressing public health and environmental challenges—water contamination from human waste.
This recognition highlights several key strengths of LoopBox:
It addresses the critical issue of water contamination by upcycling chemical tanks into durable septic systems impervious to groundwater seepage.
In regions where traditional septic systems fail, leading to the contamination of water sources, LoopBox offers an eco-friendly alternative that directly combats the spread of waterborne diseases.
This innovation provides a sustainable, long-term solution that aligns with the green energy and environmental preservation goals of today’s global agenda.
LoopBox’s incorporation of IoT technology sets it apart from conventional systems. By monitoring essential parameters like pH, COD, BOD, and temperature, the solution ensures proactive management, helping to regulate conditions that kill harmful pathogens.
This technology minimizes system breakdowns, maximizes operational efficiency, and ensures that communities benefit from continuous sanitation without the health risks associated with system failures, amongst other amazing features.
The CyclexAfrica project is an outstanding initiative that addresses a critical and growing challenge in urban waste management, particularly in the Kano metropolis.
With an innovative approach to solid waste management, CyclexAfrica’s CyclexApp introduces a groundbreaking solution by transforming the way recyclables are collected, transported, and incentivized in real time.
Solid waste generation and its improper management have long been a global concern, especially in fast-growing urban centers like Kano, where only 36% of the 3100 tons of waste generated daily is evacuated.
By leveraging technology through the CyclexApp, CyclexAfrica provides an essential link between households, businesses, and recycling facilities, offering a seamless and transparent process for trading recyclable waste for cash.
This project stands out its usage as a cross-platform mobile application with a real-time tracking system adds unparalleled transparency and accountability to the waste management process.
Users are empowered with real-time updates, ensuring a reliable system that motivates more participation.
CyclexAfrica not only reduces the cost and labor associated with waste sorting, but it also creates a robust incentive system that drives sustainable waste management practices, particularly in areas where recycling infrastructures are lacking.
The initiative has a direct positive impact on women, youths, students, and waste pickers, providing financial incentives and opportunities for improved livelihoods. This inclusive model addresses both environmental and social challenges by elevating the roles of marginalized groups in the waste management ecosystem.
This project holds significant potential for scaling and replication, not just across Nigeria, but throughout Africa, where similar urbanization trends and waste management challenges exist.
WSA (Nigeria) 2024 jurors:
The products and other submissions were judged by invited jurors in WSA (Nigeria) 2024. They are; Albashir Ishaq Ibrahim, WSA Youth Ambassador; Jide Awe, CEO, Jidaw Systems; Fauzuddeen Mahmud, a past WSA winner, and Siro Collins, a past WSA winner.
Others are; Samuel Johnson, Moses Amos, Henry Lamba, all WSA Youth Ambassadors, and Samuel Ikande, WSA National Nominee.
