The stage is set for the grand finale of the Coderina University Challenge (COUCH), as the Top 10 student-led innovation teams converge at the National Universities Commission (NUC) Secretariat, Abuja, on 20th November 2025.
COUCH, an initiative of Coderina Education and Technology Foundation, is designed to inspire innovation, creativity, and problem-solving among students in tertiary institutions across Nigeria. The 2025 edition has drawn remarkable participation from universities nationwide, with students developing solutions that address real-world challenges through technology, research, and entrepreneurship.
This year’s grand finale holds special significance as it coincides with the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW)—a worldwide celebration of innovators and job creators under the theme “Together We Build.” The alignment underscores Nigeria’s commitment to nurturing a new generation of innovators capable of driving inclusive growth and sustainable development through science, technology, and innovation.
Stakeholders from government, academia, industry, and the private sector are expected to attend the event to witness the ingenuity of Nigeria’s young innovators and explore pathways for collaboration, mentorship, and investment.
Speaking ahead of the event, Coderina Founder, Olajide Ademola Ajayi emphasized the importance of fostering innovation-led education and bridging the gap between academic knowledge and industry needs.
The COUCH program continues to serve as a national platform for showcasing how Nigerian youth are using creativity and technology to reimagine the future.
Meet the teams:
- Nile University of Nigeria – Neuronaut Robotics: The team developed Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) designed for subsea pipeline inspection, aiming to address the critical issue of corrosion and damage leading to oil and gas leaks.
- Kwara State University – Team Green: They built SUNPOD, a portable solar-powered station designed to address Nigeria’s significant energy deficit. It aims to provide affordable, clean, and off-grid electricity for lighting and device charging, benefiting rural homes, students, small businesses, and healthcare facilities.
- Federal University of Technology Akure – Team CIRCLE: The team built an intelligent waste management system that combines mobile technology, IoT-enabled smart bins, and AI-driven waste sorting to address Nigeria’s waste management challenges by making disposal easier, more rewarding, and data-driven for a cleaner environment and a circular economy
- Ahmadu Bello University – Pup Industries: Has a Plastic to Paint (P2P) initiative, addressing the global issue of plastic waste, particularly in Nigeria, by transforming low-density polyethylene and polystyrene into eco-friendly, mosquito-repellent paint.
- Federal University of Technology Minna – Waste2light: This is dedicated to transforming waste materials into sustainable energy solutions. Waste2Light focuses on empowering underserved communities by creating affordable, off-grid power systems from recycled resources, while also providing youth training in fabrication and clean energy.
Beyond existing products, the company is developing innovative solutions like hybrid power systems for flood-prone areas and eco-charcoal briquettes from rice husks.
- Lagos State University – ScrapLink: ScrapLink is a digital marketplace designed to connect small-scale scrap metal sellers with qualified buyers, primarily targeting an underserved market in Lagos, Nigeria. It addresses inefficiencies in the scrap industry by leveraging AI for material classification and valuation, a dual-verification point system for transactions, and integrated logistics for transport.
- Adamawa State University- ADSU Fresh Innovators: This project focuses on developing an eco-friendly lubricant grease from polyethylene waste, specifically addressing the environmental impact of plastics on human health and ecosystems. The process involves chemically converting shredded plastic waste into a synthetic oil, which is then blended with additives to create the lubricant.
- Imo State University- Team IMSU: This project aims to transform palm oil waste into clean energy and biochar. This system addresses environmental issues like CO₂ emissions and provides solutions for rural communities lacking access to clean cooking fuel. The digester generates biochar for soil enhancement, biogas for heating, cooking, and electricity, and captures CO₂ for industrial sale or carbon credits.
- Kaduna State University – ReGenX: Wrap2Grow is an initiative which focuses on developing a biodegradable packaging material designed to convert into biofertilizer after use.
- Igbinedion University- EcoCircular Labs: EcoCircular focused on transforming palm oil waste into a sustainable biofertilizer in Nigeria, specifically the Okada region. The core problem addressed is the severe environmental degradation caused by the improper disposal of Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) and Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME), which pollutes soil and water and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. The proposed solution involves anaerobic co-digestion of these waste products to create nutrient-rich, pelletized biofertilizer, offering an alternative to costly inorganic fertilizers.
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