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The African Telecommunications Union (ATU), in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK), and Huawei Technologies, has officially announced the winners of the 4th ATU Africa Innovation Challenge. Ten outstanding AI-focused innovators from Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, and Sierra Leone were awarded and enrolled in an intensive AI Training Programme hosted at Strathmore University’s @iLabAfrica in Nairobi.
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This year’s competition spotlighted innovative startups leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to tackle pressing challenges in Africa, including food security, climate resilience, access to energy, financial inclusion, and counterfeit prevention.
The top 10 winners are now receiving advanced training at @iLabAfrica – a leading Centre of Excellence in ICT Innovation and Development – to strengthen their AI-driven business models and scale impact. Each finalist also received a Huawei Matepad, along with access to expert mentorship and labs.
At the award ceremony, CAK’s Director of Corporate Communications, Christopher Wambua, joined ATU Secretary General John Omo, Huawei’s Sherry Zhang, and ITU Africa Regional Director, Dr. Emmanuel C. Manasseh to commend the winners and highlight the programme’s role in driving Africa’s digital transformation.
“These AI-powered innovations demonstrate Africa’s immense potential in solving real-world problems,” said ATU’s John Omo. “We are proud of this year’s winners, who are tackling core development issues from agriculture to health and financial services.”
He also thanked Huawei and other sponsors for their continued investment in Africa’s innovation ecosystem.
Huawei’s Director of ICT Strategy and Policy for Sub-Saharan Africa, Ms. Sherry Zhang, noted:
“We are proud to support these brilliant minds. To fully unleash AI’s potential, Africa must invest in digital infrastructure, cloud computing, and skills development. Huawei is committed to supporting this journey.”
Huawei, a longstanding partner in Africa’s tech landscape for over 25 years, invests over 20% of its annual revenue in R&D, continually advancing innovation to address local needs.
AI Innovations from the Winners:
- Fresh AI (Sierra Leone) – Detects food spoilage to reduce waste | Mohamed Alpha
- Tausi Africa (Tanzania) – AI-powered credit scoring for inclusive lending | Alex Mkwizu
- Farmer Lifeline Technologies (Kenya) – AI-based emissions tracking for agriculture | Esther Kimani
- MedPack (Tanzania) – Streamlines pharmaceutical procurement Henry Mathayo
- PowerBox (Nigeria) – AI-enhanced battery modules for energy efficiency | Promise Okwuchukwu
- Spana (Tanzania) – Counterfeit detection in vehicle spare parts | Julius Mbungo
- Kavel Decodes (Malawi) – Assistive learning tech for visually impaired students | Chifuniro Misinde
- Agro-Gen AI (Tanzania) – Agricultural chatbot for farmer support | Kelvin Pius Paul
- Chameleon Tools (Malawi) – Soil moisture detection system | Alinafe Kaliwo
- ClarioAI (Tanzania) – Customer behavior analysis and product info assistant | Asya Haji
Advanced AI Training Highlights:
The winners participated in a week-long workshop covering:
- Ethics and Responsible AI
- AI Prototype Refinement
- Business Models for AI Startups
- Hands-on Lab Sessions at @iLabAfrica
Expert facilitators included:
- Mr. Amr Farouk Safwat – Chair, AU Working Group on AI
- Mr. Mohamed Ba – Senior Coordinator, ITU
- Mr. John Sergon – Senior Fellow, Cyberspace Policy
- Dr. William Murithi – Strathmore Business School
- Philip Oyier – Huawei-Certified Instructor in AI & Cloud
Dr. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau, described the initiative as:
“A strategic multi-stakeholder platform to identify and nurture African tech talent. These innovators are now better equipped to drive socio-economic development.”
The fifth edition of the ATU Africa Innovation Challenge will be announced soon. Aspiring African innovators are encouraged to prepare and participate.
