The prodigies, 10-year-old Akachukwu Blessed Nwachukwu and Ifunanya Gabriella Okoye, both from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, developed Stay Woke—an AI-powered mobile app that leverages facial recognition and voice interaction to detect driver fatigue in real time and issue alerts to prevent accidents.
Competing under the name Team Appsolute, the duo outshone strong contenders from Japan, Spain, Canada, and Peru, securing the world title at the competition’s grand finale.
The Technovation Challenge—the world’s largest tech entrepreneurship program for girls aged 8 to 18—attracted over 33,000 participants from 117 countries this year, with more than 11,000 completing the program and over 3,200 tech-based solutions developed.
Their mentor, Somkenechukwu Mamah, founder of Code Ambassadors Academy, hailed the victory as a defining moment for African innovation.
“This victory proves that innovation knows no age or boundary. Akachukwu and Ifunanya have shown resilience, creativity, and courage, demonstrating that young people in Nigeria and across Africa can compete and win on the global stage,” he said.
The duo, who received training at Code Ambassadors Academy—a STEM-accredited platform that has equipped over 7,000 Nigerian children with coding, robotics, AI, and design skills—credited their mentor’s guidance and their parents’ support for their success.
For Team Appsolute, the win represents more than just a trophy. It is a victory for Nigeria, Africa, and every young girl aspiring to transform the world through technology.
