750 Students in Lagos, Ondo, and Delta States Equipped for a Digital Future
Lagos, Nigeria – May 13, 2025 – Project iCommunity in collaboration with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) has been transforming public education since 2023 by equipping secondary school students with critical 21st-century skills—including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), design thinking, problem-solving, and creativity.
Across 15 schools in Lagos, Delta, and Ondo States, 750 students participated in a rigorous five-week program, with 50 students per school engaging in hands-on training and real-world problem-solving challenges. The initiative culminated in Demo Day Competitions, where top teams from each school showcased AI solutions addressing community challenges before panels of judges representing the sponsors, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, and private sector leaders.
Demo Day Highlights: Innovation in Action
Lagos State: Badore Community High School won 1st Place with Attend AI—a smart classroom attendance system using facial recognition—earning prizes worth ₦1,000,000. Ilasan Senior Secondary School (Smart pajec classroom attendance system using AI) and Gbara Community Senior Secondary School (Edubot: Virtual assistant using AI for students’ assignment) secured 2nd and 3rd places.
Ondo State: St. Joseph’s College took first Place with its Student ID Authentication System, while Ilaje High School Igbokoda (Ilaje high school voice chat bot virtual assistant) and Stella Maris College Okitipupa(School interactive chatbot with advanced features) tied for 2nd place.
Delta State: Iwere College, Koko claimed 1st Place with Dr. Derbi, a virtual healthcare assistant. Osadenis Mixed Secondary (School Ultimate Maths Quiz Maths Solutions) – (Asaba) and Hussey College (AI Smart Calculator) – (Warri) placed 2nd and 3rd.
Mr. Olaniyi, a teacher at Ilasan Senior Secondary School, stated: “Project iCommunity has been an eye-opener. AI was once a distant concept, but our students now build real models tackling community issues. Their confidence, teamwork, and technical skills have soared.”
Adebayo Fawaz, a participating student of Ilasan Senior Secondary School, added: “I never imagined enjoying AI until this program. Creating an attendance system with facial recognition showed me how technology solves real problems. I am inspired to learn more—thank you to Chevron, NNPC, and the facilitators!”
“We are deeply grateful to Chevron and NNPC for their commitment to Nigeria’s youth as well as our partners – 9ijakids, STEMMETs, The Creative Kids (TCK) Zone, Robotics 4 Kids, SeedDev. The greatest reward is seeing these students—many from underserved communities—gain skills to thrive in a digital economy and break cycles of poverty”, Titi Adewusi, Co-founder of 9ijakids and Project iCommunity Organizer, emphasized.
Project iCommunity 2025 underscores the transformative power of public-private partnerships in education. By investing in Nigeria’s next generation, Chevron and NNPCL are not only bridging the digital divide but also fostering innovation that drives local and national development.
