The competition forms part of the Creative AI Storytelling Lab, a project designed to equip students and early career professionals with practical skills and strong portfolios in artificial intelligence-driven creativity.

GAIN focusses on building real world capacity in AI Automation and Storytelling. Through hands on learning and applied projects, the network supports emerging talents as they explore how artificial intelligence can be applied across creative and technical disciplines.

According to Michael Osumo, program manager for Instig Labs, the Creative AI Storytelling Lab is aimed at nurturing a new generation of storytellers and builders who use artificial intelligence to create films, art and applications that push creative boundaries.

“In the Prompt to Screen Storytelling Competition, judges typically look for cultural resonance and technical mastery. Contestants used prompts to create videos that bridge African storytelling with high-end tech.” Osumo added.

The programme includes courses that teach participants how to leverage and optimise AI tools to support storytelling and filmmaking, and a storytelling competition. The Prompt to Screen AI competition served as a practical platform where participants translated ideas into tangible creative outcomes.

Speaking on the importance of the initiative, Chude Jideonwo, Nigerian TV host, filmmaker and media entrepreneur, described the competition as a timely intervention for creative growth.

“This project reflects the need to equip young creatives with tools that help them tell authentic stories while staying relevant in a rapidly evolving creative economy.”

Hillz, a musician and one of the judges, noted that the quality of submissions showed how artificial intelligence can support originality rather than limit it. He said the competition highlighted the power of combining human imagination with modern technology.

Tejumade Salami, chief operating officer of Falcon Aero, the mother brand for Instig labs, emphasised the value of partnerships in driving innovation.

According to Salami, “collaborations such as Prompt to Screen demonstrate how industry support can help unlock opportunities for emerging creatives and builders.”

Under theme 1, Okechuckwu Obi and Daniel Ikemsinachukwu emerged winners for their video, Created to Create.

Janet Ajah emerged under theme 2 with her project, Far Away, a musical video. Nunsi Shiaki won the Theme 3 category with Roots and Rhythm, a metaphorical video depicting the immense opportunities for AI to shape culture.

Omu Inetimi won under theme 4 with Red Niger, a nerve wrecking tale of the Asaba Massacre during the Nigerian Civil War.

Reflecting on her experience, Janet Ajah said the competition pushed her to think differently about storytelling and experiment confidently with artificial intelligence as a creative tool.

The Prompt to Screen AI competition reinforces Instig Labs’ commitment to empowering creatives and builders with practical skills, exposure and opportunities for growth.

Through initiatives such as GAIN and the Creative AI Storytelling Lab, Instig Labs continues to support the development of talent capable of shaping the future of creative and technological innovation.

The program aims to provide free Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) training for young people across Nigeria over the course of six weeks.

The program also includes a one-week hackathon, inter-university competition and prize presentation involving program partners just before Christmas.

To register, please click here.

Aiming to facilitate a robust program, Instig Labs has formed a strong collaboration involving several players in the AI space.

Partners include open-source analytics platform, OpenBB; neuro-symbolic engineering firm, Commongroundbio; design school, User Experience University; and ecommerce-focused fintech platform, Cartlink.

According to Michael Osumo, Program Officer of Instig Labs, the program targets University students and early-stage professionals who are interested in learning how to develop and use AI.

“Our Gen AI Network (GAIN) bootcamp is being organized to equip our undergraduates with in-demand AI skills, professional mentorship and networking, and a chance to build their portfolios and win prizes,” said Michael Osumo.

“GAIN is designed to bridge the gap between theoretical AI knowledge and practical, real-world application by equipping students with hands-on experience through workshops, collaborative projects, and an inter-university hackathon.”

Facilitators for the program include Gbolahan Kolawole, AI Engineer at AN InBev; Cavendish Mwangi, Design Lead at User Experience University; Reginald Nkwocha, AI Engineer, University of East London; Kemi Tade of Purpose Temple; Olawale Ibitoye, QA Engineer; and Eric Nzenwanne, ML Engineer at Commongroundbio.

“This collaboration with GAIN represents a shared commitment to fostering innovation and empowering the next generation of tech professionals across Africa,” said Cavendish Mwangi.

“By focusing on user-centered design, we aim to equip participants with critical skills to create solutions that are not only functional but also deeply resonate with the needs of their communities.”

Speaking on the collaboration, Mansuethus Igboka, Founder of Cartlink, said, “We are excited to partner with GAIN to inspire the next generation of technology professionals. Society thrives when talented individuals are empowered to create and solve problems.”

GAIN’s hackathon tracks tackle critical global challenges in Healthcare, Finance, Education, Media, and Sustainability, offering students a chance to innovate in high-impact areas. Eric Ezenwanne, Founder at Common Ground Bio, expressed enthusiasm, saying, “GAIN’s approach to AI in healthcare aligns perfectly with our mission of driving innovation in biotechnology. We are eager to see how students will apply their creativity to solve real-world problems.”

Instig Labs is powered by The Adrenalina, a business incubation outfit and coworking space that helps entrepreneurs grow and succeed by facilitating access to workspace, finance, training and collaborations

“I am delighted with this latest initiative. Within a short time, Instig Labs has put itself at the forefront of advocacy and capacity development for AI in Nigeria,” said Chukwuerika Achum, CEO of The Adrenalina, parent brand of Instig Labs.

“The platform continues to generate innovations and conversations aimed at galvanizing stakeholders towards safer and more efficient use of AI and digital technology.”

AI is a trending technology that enables computers and machines to simulate human intelligence and problem-solving capabilities. The applications of AI continue to grow across diverse fields.

The Instig Labs AI in Finance meet-up had stakeholders at the intersection of technology and finance, charting up pathways to leverage this novel technology in improving the efficiency of the financial sector.

Participants at the event include tech and finance experts from OpenBB, Risevest, and UBA amongst others.

AI in finance transforms the way people interact with money, helping the financial industry streamline and optimize processes.

It helps drive insights for data analytics, performance measurement, predictions and forecasting, real-time calculations, customer servicing, intelligent data retrieval, and more.

Large financial organizations across the world are also adopting the use of AI with accompanying benefits.

According to its website, J.P. Morgan has been using the underlying AI-powered large language models for payment validation screening for more than two years. It also speeds up processing in other ways by reducing false positives and enabling better queue management.

According to Deloitte, AI offers a chance to address some of the challenges in today’s financial systems by automating data collection and other processes.

Instig Labs has been at the forefront of driving AI adoption for increased efficiency across diverse fields. In November 2023, the outfit teamed up with leading open-source investment research software platform, OpenBB, and quantitative asset management firm, Pav Finance, to provide free eight-week investment research training for intending financial analysts.

Earlier in July 2023, Instig Labs collaborated with technology outfit, S.L.O.T Africa, to host Nigeria’s first conference on music and data. The conference brings together experts and stakeholders to explore the intersection of these two fields in advancing the production, promotion and accessibility of music in Africa.

More about Instig Labs

• Instig Labs is a business incubation platform that provides a watering bed for pre-seed startups in the tech space through various support systems.
• Pan-African, sector agnostic, and technology-focused, Instig Labs aims to facilitate over $150,000 investment funds for 10 startups and create over 200 jobs by the end of 2024.

Tagged ‘Music Meets Data,’ the free conference slated for Saturday, July 29, 2023, 11:00 AM WAT (GMT +1) will be a hybrid event with participants joining both online and physically at The Adrenaline Coworking Space, Yaba, Lagos. The event, which also marks the launch of Instig Labs, will feature keynote speakers, panel discussions, a demo workshop for data visualization, and networking opportunities. In addition, Instig Labs is offering free training courses on select tech skills via its social media handle, @InstigLabs.  

“Music Meets Data will provide a forum for attendees to learn about the need for infrastructure, tech advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for music, share their own research and ideas, and collaborate on new projects,” said Michael Osumo, Program Manager, InstigLabs.

Expected speakers at the event include Keerti Agrawal, former senior data scientist at Spotify and Co-founder, Aagmann AI Labs; Ezinne O, Data Scientist at Mavin; Gilbert Bani(A-Q), recording artist and founder, ConnectHead; Olajumoke Olayiwola, General Secretary of the Sarz Academy; and Lola Oyedele, entertainment property lawyer and Partner, Technolawgical. 

Nigeria is currently experiencing a technological revolution that has helped the country’s artists impact the global charts. Artists like Rema, Tems and Ckay have attained global prominence by maximizing digital technology. Specifically, data science is becoming increasingly useful to music promoters in targeting audiences.

According to Gilbert Bani, one of the speakers at the upcoming conference, data application in the Nigerian music industry is still at infancy.

“There is a wide gap to be filled in terms of opportunities available to leverage data science and analysis in the music business. The conference will provide useful insights for musicians and music industry professionals who are interested in using data and AI to enhance their creative process or to reach a wider audience,” said Bani.

Instig Labs is powered by The Adrenalina, a business incubation outfit and coworking space that helps entrepreneurs grow and succeed by facilitating access to workspace, finance, training and collaborations.

“Instig Labs reflects our commitment to the growth of innovation and enterprise in Africa, and Music Meets Data will be the first in a series of projects designed to facilitate deliberations on the enhancement of various industries with AI and digital transformation, in collaboration with our partners,” said Chukwuerika Achum, founder of The Adrenalina.

According to Susan Tejuosho, founder S.L.O.T (Shining Light On Talent) Africa, “Music Meets Data is the first of its kind in Nigeria. The partnership between InstigLabs and S.L.O.T Africa is a natural fit. Both organizations are committed to innovation and creativity, and we share a similar vision for the future. We believe that AI has the potential to revolutionize any industry, and are excited to work together to bring about this change.” 

“In addition to music industry players, the conference will also attract Google dev ops and AI/ML researchers as well as developers who are working on data-driven applications such as music composition, music generation, and music analysis,” Tejosho added.

How to Register

Interested participants can register here.