This year’s event shines with renewed national significance as it welcomes three distinguished leaders whose work continues to shape Nigeria’s innovation, economic transformation, and academic excellence:

At the forefront is Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, whose leadership marks a new era of intentional investment in research, innovation ecosystems, and youth-driven technologies.

His participation underscores the government’s strengthened commitment to fostering innovation-led growth and positioning Nigeria as a competitive global player in science and technology.

Dr. Udeh is expected to challenge the finalists to see innovation as a national duty, one capable of catalyzing economic resilience, industrialization, and global competitiveness.

Also headlining the event is Dr. Tope Fasua, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Economic Affairs.

Renowned for his thought leadership in economic restructuring and productivity-led growth, Dr. Fasua will provide insights on how youth innovation can align with Nigeria’s broader economic transformation agenda.

His message is anticipated to empower young inventors with a clearer understanding of how their ideas can transition into scalable enterprises that drive economic diversification, job creation, and national prosperity.

Adding an academic perspective is Professor Sa’adatu Hassan Liman, Vice Chancellor of Nasarawa State University, whose leadership emphasizes the role of universities as engines of innovation. She is expected to inspire students to pursue research excellence with a view toward commercialization, industry relevance, and societal impact.

COUCH 2025: A Platform for Transformative Youth Innovation

The COUCH finale, which coincides with the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) themed “Together We Build”, serves as a national platform for showcasing ingenuity, creativity, and entrepreneurial capability among Nigerian youth.

Stakeholders from government, academia, industry, and the private sector will be present to interact directly with the innovators and explore partnerships that can help move their ideas from prototypes to market-ready solutions.

Speaking ahead of the finals, Olajide Ademola Ajayi, founder of Coderina Education and Technology Foundation, emphasized the need for universities to rethink the role of research in national development:

“It is not enough anymore for university projects and brilliant research to end up gathering dust on the shelves of lecturers or in departmental archives. There must be a mindshift, one that moves research and innovation from the realm of academic exercise into the real economy, where ideas translate into viable enterprises, products, and impactful solutions.”

Shaping Nigeria’s Innovation Future

The COUCH initiative continues to bridge the gap between academic output and industry demands, equipping Nigerian students to develop practical solutions that foster job creation, accelerate innovation, and contribute to national development.

With the strategic presence of Dr. Udeh, Dr. Fasua, and Prof. Liman, COUCH 2025 is set to become a defining moment for young innovators ready to shape the future of Nigeria’s digital and economic landscape.

Media/Partnership Inquiries, reach out to couch@coderina.org or visit: www.coderina.org

As a leading advocate for technological advancement, Coderina is committed to democratizing access to emerging technologies and empowering individuals, particularly youth, to thrive in the digital age.

Through innovative initiatives and strategic partnerships, Coderina strives to create a more equitable society where everyone has the opportunity to succeed and contribute to positive change.

This collaboration aims to consolidate efforts to empower youth in the FCT area and continue to innovate in the fields of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Machine Learning, 3D and Additive manufacturing, and other emerging technologies.

Through this strategic partnership, Coderina and the FCT Department of Science, Technology and Innovation will work together to democratize knowledge of emerging technologies, empower young entrepreneurs, and foster solutions and innovation at scale.

By combining resources and expertise, the collaboration will enable both parties to create impactful programs and initiatives that address the needs of the community and drive positive change.

“This collaboration reinforces the importance of partnerships between the public sector and the third sector,” said Femi Niyi, Chairman of Coderina Board of Trustees. “By working together, we can leverage our respective strengths and resources to make a meaningful difference in the lives of young people in the FCT area and beyond.”

Coderina is committed to driving innovation and creating opportunities for the next generation of leaders. Through our initiatives, Coderina has demonstrated its dedication to supporting youth empowerment and fostering technological advancement.

“We invite individuals and organizations who share our vision to support our efforts and walk with us on this journey,” added Femi Niyi. “Together, we can make a lasting impact and create a brighter future for our youth.”

“We are thrilled to embark on this collaborative journey with Coderina,” said Dr Olobashola Kolawole, director, FCT Science and Innovation. “We believe that technology has the power to transform lives and bridge gaps. Through this partnership, we will work together to empower young entrepreneurs, democratize access to knowledge, and drive innovation in emerging technologies.”

More about About Coderina:

• Coderina is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to leveraging technology as an enabler for inclusivity and empowerment.
• Through innovative programs and strategic partnerships, Coderina strives to democratize access to emerging technologies and create opportunities for individuals to thrive in the digital age.
• It aims to build a more equitable society where everyone has the opportunity to succeed and contribute to positive change…]

Mr Andrew David Adejo, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, on Tuesday during a robotics project presentation by the Federal Government Girls College Sagamu, Ogun State (FGGC Sagamu) at the Ministry’s head office in Abuja.

Dr. Muyibat Adenike Olodo, the Director and Principal of FGGC, Sagamu, led the College’s robotics team consisting of some students and members of staff who are the coaches to present an innovation of the College, a humanoid, named Okikiola Sagamu to the Permanent Secretary.

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) built by the students could walk around, recognise faces, shake hands and exchange pleasantries among others.

Brief Demo:

Permanent Secretary, Andrew Adejo who was impressed by the innovation of the students, said he was not surprised because the Federal Government Colleges (Unity Schools) remain the best in Nigeria.

He, however, noted that as a part initiative to “catch them young”, NERDC should work to integrate coding, robotics, and AI into the basic education curriculum.

Adejo also charged the students and unity schools to move further by designing AI that could take orders and serve food in restaurants, assuring them that government would be ready to support such innovation.

Earlier, Dr. Muyibat Adenike Olodo, the Director and Principal of FGGC, Sagamu, said efforts at exposing the students and their coaches to the current trend in the world of technology, that is, coding, AI, machine learning and robotics were sowing good seeds in Federal Unity Colleges (FUCs).

She commended the founder of Coderina Education and Technology Foundation, Mr Olajide Ademola Ajayi for his mentorship and technical assistance to the team.

One of the students that participated in the Robotic project, Esther Ogunnaike, said they were inspired by the Principal of the College, Dr Olodo, who also ensured that a robotics centre was established in the school last year before the commencement of the project.

“It was actually the vision of our Principal. She established a robotics centre for this very project. She wanted us to build a robot that will be able to recognize faces, move its neck, and eyes, pick up objects we need to use in the classroom and so on. We are happy because we should be able to move with the world. The world is moving with technological advancement, so, Nigeria cannot be left behind,” she said.

She called on the Federal Government to support innovation in schools, saying with more resources the team would be able to produce a better version than what Okikiola Sagamu that was presented to the ministry.

FGGC Sagamu is one of the schools adopted by Coderina to ensure that students are exposed to robotics and other AI related engineering.

The event at Bauchi brings the number of library locations Coderina has provided to 5, one in each of the six geopolitical zones.

The launch of the one in Enugu is planned for December to complete the initiative’s first phase. 

The launch had students, Bauchi State education stakeholders, and press members in attendance. 

Speaking at the event, the National Librarian/CEO National Library of Nigeria, Professor Chinwe Veronica Anunobi, stated, “The concept of a library as space constantly evolves over the years as libraries transform from purely paper-based to a blend of paper and digital. They are moving to the next stage, which involves resourcing libraries to become venues for informal science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) education, hosting programs and exhibits that inspire children and adults alike, and supporting them in their lifelong learning.”

The project’s goal is to provide equal access to all children and ensure that no child is left behind irrespective of social, gender, or economic background. We plan to create an enablement path for every youth in the country and provide much-needed opportunities to all.

The STEAM centers at National Libraries of Nigeria in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Lagos, and Kaduna have become safe and secure places for young people looking to experience robotics, Virtual Reality, 3D printing, Coding, and other emerging technologies in a hands-on, mind-on format.

Students visiting the National Library at Yaba center have an opportunity to design and 3D-Print their own toys, thanks to a 3D printer and scanner donated by FORD USA.

They can also experience FIRST programs (FIRST LEGO League Challenge for 9-16, FLL Explore for 6-9, and FLL Discover for 4-6) through the equipment made available by FIRST STEM Equity grant for students in underserved communities. 

It is a significant success to have been able to bring life-changing learning opportunities to learners from every background in not only one but five out of the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. 

At the event, Mr. Femi Niyi, Board Chair Coderina,  stated, “we are also grateful to SAP for providing additional robot kits for Lagos, Kaduna, and Enugu States.”

He further stresses that “according to the vision of the Founder of Coderina, who is the brain behind this great initiative, the aim is to grow the program and scale to all National Library locations across Nigeria to democratize digital literacy and demystify emerging technologies for all learners.”

Starting January 2023, we will open these centers to adults 18-35 as free resource centers for upskilling, reskilling, and weekend entrepreneurship boot camps. 

In addition, we are calling on all well-meaning organizations to partner with us to provide job-shadowing and internship opportunities to trainees participating in the different cohorts of the job-readiness skills program for 18-35-year-olds.

This partnership between NSSEC and Coderina is a huge step toward fulfilling the commission’s mandate to reposition the country’s education system in alignment with the future of work requirements.

For the first time in the history of the Nigerian education system, selected teachers from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory participated in the SAP Africa Code Week Train the Trainer program, with over 300 teachers trained over one week.

The program equips teachers with computational Thinking and an introduction to the MIT Scratch visual coding environment, designed to make coding a “child’s play” for young learners.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission Prof. Benjamin Abakpa, said that repositioning the education system starts with providing teachers with the proper education and tools to prepare students adequately.

“Therefore, Teacher education is one key area that the NSSEC will focus on, among other necessary initiatives, to help fulfill its mandate.

“As we work to raise a tech-savvy generation of students, we must also raise a generation of tech-savvy teachers. Coding should be part of the education curriculum, like other literacy and numeracy subjects. Coding is as much about creativity as it is about math, science, and problem-solving.

He gushed about the high level of interest the TTT program has engendered and the fantastic cooperation between the commission and the State education Ministries that led to the initiative’s success.

Femi Niyi, Coderina BOT Chairman, explained, “In response to the future of work, education must evolve to support teachers in developing individual student potential and preparing students to become lifelong learners so they can innovate tomorrow’s world and solve real-life problems in their communities”.

The SAP Africa Code week, the most extensive digital literacy on the continent of Africa, is designed to demystify coding and make it a learned skill for students. However, achieving this would require teacher training and transformation from traditional teaching styles to pedagogy that supports the acquisition of 21st century skills and competencies necessary in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

A second wave of training for teachers is planned to equip more teachers and translate to training more students.

Students in classrooms across Nigeria will experience their first introduction to Africa Code Week coding curriculum which started November 1st to end November 30th .

They will also have an opportunity to participate in the SAP AfriCAN Code Challenge, a pan-African competition to help students showcase their coding skills and pit their wits against teams from countries across Africa.

Notably, an all-girls team from Federal Government Girls College Oyo came first overall in Nigeria and placed 2nd in the Africa-wide edition of the program. They were rewarded with tech equipment such as laptops for their efforts.

The benefiting teachers also took their turns to testify about the training:

“Very interesting session……well done by our instructors. Please the recordings should be made available for us as guide and backup. Though, there are many video tutorials online. Thank you,” says Adelabu Adekunle Qazeem of Remo Secondary School, Sagamu, Ogun state.

Nafiu Yakubu of GSS Gaya Gandu, Kano, Kano State, has this to say, “We appreciate this program as it prepares the students towards programming and use of scratch software. We are very grateful”.

Also commenting, Sotannde Abiodun Kabir, Abeokuta Grammar School, Abeokuta, Ogun State, said, “Thanks for adding me to this group. I recognise my being here as a great opportunity”.

Since receiving this award, the organization has strived to increase access to FIRST^® programs for underrepresented and underserved students in various communities across Nigeria.

Ninty (90%) of the awarded grant went into purchasing ClassPack resources for Discover, Explore, Challenge, and FTC programs.

In collaboration with the school management authority, fifty Teachers from various communities in FCT were introduced to and trained on the FIRST^® Discover program for children ages 4-6.

Teachers, in turn, cascaded the training to young learners in their schools. The schools also received ClassPack training resources.

It is already evident that this intervention is helping the schools develop new and innovative approaches to address equity, inclusion, and diversity inequalities in the STEM (science, technology, education, and math) field.

The grant also allowed our organization to expand and resource our free STEM access training to young learners in 6 libraries across the country.

The libraries‘ location is Kaduna, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja Bauchi, and Enugu, each in one of the country’s six geopolitical zones.

The expansion aims to scale deep within these regions and reach every underserved population while ensuring no one is left behind.

At 4 of these centers, we provide Programs such as FIRST^® LEGO^® League challenge, Explore, and FTC to students. However, additional support is required to resource two of the centers fully.

We also donated FLL and FTC kits and season challenge sets to schools’ teams in communities where access to STEM education is scant we also provided them with training.

Beyond the FCT schools and the training at the libraries, we also ventured deeper into the hinterlands to reach the unreached. For example, we worked closely and will continue to work with a group of 60-100 primarily out-of-school girls based in the underserved community of Kiyi through our Her eSTEAM^® program that leverages the power of FIRST^® to improve the self-esteem of young girls.

This group of girls from Kiyi are mainly hawkers who barely spend half of the day in school before rushing home to hawk various wares to help sustain their families. During our interview with the girls, they expressed a huge desire for education but could not afford school fees, etc.

So, we engaged a teacher to help them with school work while also introducing them to robotics and coding. It’s heartwarming to say that these girls can build, program, and code robots just after a few months of engagement.

The program has enabled them with problem-solving skills and creative thinking. We are beginning to hear them develop innovative ideas to help them start an entrepreneurial endeavor. As a result, they are highly motivated, and we can say that the future is bright for them.

We have scratched the surface and unearthed many hidden gems in places where no one ventured before; however, sustainability is crucial. We are optimistic that partners and other stakeholders would find it worthy to support these initiatives and making them sustainable.