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OAU, Unilag students win BlueChip Inter-Campus Machine Learning competition
After an intensive 5-day learning bootcamp, Olajide Abdulrazzaq Folarin (from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State), Sadiq Aderinto and Stanley Obumneme Dukor (both of the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos) jointly won the first Inter-Campus Machine Learning competition.
Sponsored by Bluechip Technologies and organised by Data Science Nigeria, the three first-place winners individually earned the highest score for machine learning algorithm development.
The bootcamp was facilitated by 11 visiting international experts in artificial intelligence, 5 online tutors and 15 Nigerian-based business leaders.
More than 10,000 students from 95 campuses participated in the 4-stage competition. It included a pre-qualification pre-study, a quiz, a Kaggle competition and a validation call.
The top 85 students competed at the 5-day all-expenses-paid bootcamp at the Peninsula Resort, Lekki-Ajah Expressway, Lagos, from 10-14 October 2018.
At the bootcamp, the students were immersed in intensive sessions of theoretical learning, use case applications, face-to-face teaching, virtual online classes, and a hands-on hackathon using the newly launched Zindi platform for real-time model evaluation.
Distinguished data scientists from leading global institutions including Google’s AI Lab, GitHub, MIIA and Bankable Frontiers Associate, USA facilitated the sessions.
Leading executives from the Nigerian banking, telecommunications, energy, and investment sectors shared their invaluable contextual insights with the students.
The Inter-Campus Machine Learning competition strives to increase Nigeria’s experience and expertise in data science and to enhance the opportunities and employability of Nigerian students through an incentivized exposure to advanced world-class knowledge.
Data Science is now the world’s no. 1 career, and is critical to high-impact transformation and innovation in Nigeria and worldwide.
In order to ensure the maximum inclusive participation, all the participants who travelled to the bootcamp from outside Lagos received full travel grant, while 10 additional special provisions were made for ladies who did not meet the cut-off selection mark.
The bootcamp included participants from all six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
Mr Bayo Adekanmbi, convener, Data Science Nigeria, in his welcome speech, said, “in our quest to play big in the Artificial Intelligence space, we must raise our game and combine the best of theoretical knowledge and real use cases with solution orientation, hence our tutorial approach of having world-class experts from leading AI centres in the world and local business leaders at the bootcamp”.
Olumide Soyombo, the co-founder of Bluechip Technologies Limited, shared Bluechip’s 10-year story and inspired the participants about the possibilities of artificial intelligence and how the students could leverage their knowledge to become technology entrepreneurs.
A group photograph of facilitators and participants at the Inter-campus Machine Learning competition.
Mr. Soyombo emphasized the importance of collaborative learning, network building and high-quality solution orientation.
He said, “We are proud to sponsor the 1st ever Intercampus Machine Learning Competition as part of our 10th anniversary, which is a demonstration of our commitment to knowledge development, especially in strategic areas like AI which will shape the future and make the world a better place”.
Kazeem Tewogbade, the managing director of Bluechip Technologies Limited, said “Bluechip Technologies is excited to have created a platform that brought together some of the world’s best and Nigeria’s budding talent across over 90 higher institutions.
“We are convinced that Nigeria is raising a new breed of experts that will play big on the global space”.
Each of the three winners received $1,000 US dollars and an opportunity for a short-term internship at the Bluechip technology firm.
In addition, campus volunteers from the universities with the highest number of participants in the pre-qualification process were also rewarded for promoting and mobilizing participation in the competition.
The University of Lagos, Ladoke Akintola University Ogbomoso, and the University of Ibadan campus volunteers received N150,000, N100,000 and N50,000 respectively.
Some of the speakers at the bootcamp included Matt Grasser, Director, Inclusive Fintech, Bankable Frontiers Associate, USA; Moustapha Cisse PhD, Google AI Lab; Professor Tom Dietterich, Distinguished Professor and Director, Oregon State University and the founder of BigML; Dr Emmanuel Doro, Principal Data Scientist, Jet.com, USA; Dr Sulaimon Afolabi, Argility, South Africa; Ekow Duker, ex-Chief Analytics Officer of Barclays Africa/MD IxioAnalytics, South Africa;
Other were Dr Jacques Ludik, CEO of Cortex Logic, South Africa; Karim Beguir, the founder/CEO of Instadeep AI, London; Omoju Miller PhD, Senior Data Scientist, GitHub, USA; Abiodun Modupe, PhD Researcher, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa; Adewale Akinfaderin, Graduate Researcher, FSU & Senior Data Scientist, Lowe’s Inc., USA; Osayi Igharo, Founding and Managing partner, Ripple VC, San Francisco, SA; Robert John, Chief Data Scientist at Enter5ive and.
In addition to theoretical and hands-on exploration of topics like Anomaly detection, unsupervised classification, sequential rule mining, Deep Learning theories, Deep learning in Natural language processing; the bootcamp attendees spent time brainstorming on real business problems which were facilitated by the leadership teams of companies like FCMB (credit risk scoring), Terragon Group (AdTech recommendation), Guardian News (recommendation system), Octave Analytics (Financial inclusion geomapping), Axa Mansard (AI for insurance) and Microsoft (possibilities in MS Azure).
The bootcamp focused on applying Artificial Intelligence to a real-world problem of financial inclusion in Nigeria.
The bootcamp’s Machine Learning Hackathon was based on loan default models for an anonymised real-world dataset of low-income customers and required the participants to use geographical data (longitude and latitude), historical usage and mobile phone behaviour to determine the likely risk of loan defaults, as captured here.
Keystone Bank has brought a motion seeking to be joined as a party to the suit over the ownership and control of Emerging Markets Telecommunication Service (EMTS), which is the holder and operator of 9Mobile Telecommunication licence.
The messy turnaround came as a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja resumed hearing in the suit.
At the hearing, Keystone Bank, brought a motion seeking to be joined as a party to the suite, a proposed statement of defence and counter-claim which discloses triable issues and also demonstrates applicant’s interest in the subject of this suit.
The bank in its counter-claim is seeking among other reliefs that the resolution of the 5th defendant passed on December 7, 2023, increasing the share capital of the 6th defendant to counter-claim from N90, 000,000 to N2, 000,000,000 and reducing the 3rd defendant’s percentage stake/interest/shareholding in the 6th defendant to counter-claim to approximately 4.5 percent is null and void.
Abubakar Funtua, the plaintiff, had dragged General Theophilus Danjuma (retd) and his company LH Telecommunication Limited, as well as the other defendants to court over the ownership and control of EMTS trading under the name of 9Mobile.
The other Defendants are Seltrix Limited (sued as the 1st defendant), the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Hayatu Hassan Hadeija, Teleology Nigerian Limited and one Mohammed Edewor, a Director in Teleology Nigeria Limited.
At the resumed hearing in the case, parties were confronted with a motion by Keystone Bank seeking to be joined as a party to the suit with a statement of defence, counter-claim and allegation of fraud against some parties in the suit No. /ABJ/CS/1971/2024.
The motion states among other things that: “The applicant, Keystone Bank, also intends to present a counter-claim and has prepared a proposed statement of defence and counter-claim which discloses triable and fecund issues and also demonstrates applicant’s interest in the subject of this suit.
“The case of the applicant, is that the resolution passed by the 3rd defendant on May 9, 2023, approving the change of control/ownership of the 5th defendant from the 3rd defendant to the 8th defendant, in violation of the facilities agreements (Deed of Share charge) between the applicant and 3rd defendant, and the orders of the court made on February 20, 2023, in suit No. FHC/L/CS/297/2023 is illegal, null and void.
“The case of the applicant, as set out in the proposed statement of defence and counter-claim, is that the resolution passed by the 3rd defendant on May 9, 2023, approving the change of control/ownership of the 5th defendant from the 3rd defendant to the 8th defendant, in violation of the facilities agreements (Deed of Share charge) between the applicant and 3rd defendant, and the orders of the court made on February 20, 2023, in suit No. FHC/L/CS/297/2023 is illegal, null and void.
“The applicant also asserts in the proposed statement of defence and counter-claim that the resolution of the 5th defendant passed on December 7, 2023, increasing the share capital of the 6th defendant to counterclaim from N90,000,000 to N2,000,000,000 and reducing the 3rd defendant’s percentage stake/interest/shareholding in the 6th defendant to counterclaim to approximately 4.5 perceent is null and void.
“The applicant intends to seek the following reliefs, endorsed on the proposed statement of defence and counter-claim, at the hearing of the case: “A declaration that the 1st defendant to counterclaim is not a shareholder, either directly or indirectly, of the 6th defendant to counterclaim.
MTN Nigeria’s Go Make A Difference (Go MAD) campaign brought its message of innovation and empowerment to Aba, the renowned hub of enterprise, on Sunday, March 23, 2025.
L-R: Joseph Ogbuka, Manager, Go-To-Market, MTN Nigeria; Micheal Chinedum Ogbonna, CEO, Mua Couture; Dr. Precious Uche, CEO, Tonatel Beauty & Spa and MacDaniels Enwemuche, Regional Manager, Sales & Trade Development, MTN Nigeria at the Go MAD regional activation at Sugarland, Luxury City Hotels, Aba on Sunday March 23, 2025.
The event, held at Sugarland, Luxury City Hotel, celebrated local creativity and resilience while encouraging Nigerians to take bold steps toward transforming their communities.
Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Nigeria had earlier the inspiration behind the Go M.A.D initiative. “The Go M.A.D. campaign is rooted in the belief that MTN data gives you the power to take on the world, to achieve the extraordinary, and to make a meaningful difference, in your community, your family, and your workplace.”
The campaign has already made stops in cities like Abuja, Enugu, Calabar, Ibadan, and Benin, showcasing changemakers who embody the spirit of progress. In his opening remarks, MacDaniels Enwemuche, Regional Manager, Sales & Trade Development at MTN Nigeria, emphasised the importance of resilience during challenging times. He stated: “MTN is here to remind us that every great achievement starts small. We’re providing a platform for Nigerians to showcase their skills and products, not just locally but globally, removing limitations and amplifying their impact.”
Describing Aba as Nigeria’s “Silicon Valley”, Enwemuche explained the need to activate this campaign in Aba, due to the city’s industrious spirit and alignment with the Go MAD philosophy: “Aba is already making a difference. Every person — doctor, teacher, shoemaker — has a role to play in our ecosystem. Do it well.”
The event featured inspiring stories from local changemakers. Like chessmaster Tunde Onakoya, the campaign’s ambassador, these stories reflected how small steps can lead to global impact. Onakoya rose from humble beginnings to become a Guinness World Record holder for the longest chess marathon. His journey exemplifies the transformative power of determination and digital connectivity.
Local talents also took centre stage in a vibrant showcase. A body painter, tailor, and mechanical engineer demonstrated their crafts live, while fashion designer Prinna Nnanna unveiled an athleisure line sewn overnight and modelled on-site.
The Icons of Impact session highlighted changemakers using MTN data to drive social change. Dr. Precious Uche, CEO of Tonatel Beauty and Spa, shared her mission to redefine beauty standards:
“My business fights bleaching and promotes ‘black is beautiful.’ MTN data has helped me spread this message across Owerri and Aba.”
Fashion entrepreneur Michael Chinedu Ogbonna, CEO of Mua Couture, discussed how digital tools have expanded his reach: “The internet has made the world a global village. I now create clothes for clients in Malaysia, the US, and Canada — all thanks to data.”
Through storytelling, cultural showcases, and real-life examples, the Go MAD Aba activation reminded attendees that even small acts of courage can spark significant change. The campaign continues to celebrate resilience and innovation across Nigeria while empowering communities with digital tools.
With upcoming activations planned for cities like Jos, Lagos, and Kano, MTN remains committed to inspiring Nigerians to make a difference, one bold step at a time.
Ayotunde Coker, chief executive officer of OpenAccess Data Centre has described Open Access fabric, the company’s Africa-led interconnection platform as key driver of a digital economy, offering a range of virtual connectivity services from Open Access Data Centres (OADC) facilities.
Empowered by West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC), extensive digital backbone, OAfabric offers enterprises and service providers access to diverse digital ecosystems, supporting user-to-service, user-to-user and site-to-site connectivity.
Coker stated this during a tour of Open Access Data Centre facility in Lagos by some journalists recently.
According to him, “designed as a future-ready foundation, OAfabric unites cloud and local connectivity with OADC’s market-leading colocation solutions, establishing an innovative, scalable African infrastructure platform that addresses both local and global digital transformation demands.
“OA fabric offers a reliable, adaptable interconnection platform to support Africa’s growing digital needs and hybrid infrastructures for local and global providers
“Enabling secure, direct cloud connections, OA fabric supports data sovereignty and fosters local provider growth, OA fabric provides IX peering, virtual interconnection, and tailored IP services for Africa’s digital landscape.
“It’s not about a particular service provider, it’s about everybody. Once you have a network and you are able to route traffic, even if you are not live yet, and you are hoping to come in the future, we are waiting for you to come on board. So, that platform converges everybody.
“With Open Access fabric, everyone is expected to interconnect. You are collaborating with the government. You are collaborating with the banks. We are collaborating with all these guys to interconnect everyone, Microsoft, Google, all the cloud companies connect into it, because we already have the connectivity business”.
He noted that, “Through OA fabric, all the other connectivity providers have access to any content on OA fabric, so SMB, SMEs, MSMEs, who probably doesn’t have a registered business, but on social media, selling clothes and things like that, can have cost effective access to resources on the internet.
Speaking on Metro fiber project which OADC is partnering with WBT, Coker explained that they have covered over 5 million homes in Lagos. “The job of the Internet Service Provider or MNO in the project is to maintain relationship with the residents of that area, make sure that the infrastructure is secured”.
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