The University of Lagos (UNILAG) recorded an outstanding achievement at the 2026 Pathways to Opportunities Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, as the students who formed part of the University’s delegation shined in the Global Challenge Pitch Competition, a major component of the Summit.
UNILAG was represented at the Summit by:
- Professor Sunday Adebisi (Director, Entrepreneurship and Skills Development Centre, ESDC),
- Okusanya Ayomikun (400 level Architecture),
- Oyebode Olamide (400 level Education), and
- Yomi-Adebisi Oluwaferanmi (300 level Geoscience)
Hosted by the Carnegie Mellon University Africa (CMU-Africa) Innovation Hub in Kigali, Rwanda; the 2026 Pathways to Opportunities Summit took place from Monday, February 23 to Wednesday, February 25, 2026.
The 3-day summit featured policymakers, innovation ecosystem builders, entrepreneurs, university leaders, and students from countries across Africa including: Angola, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and South Africa. Participants engaged in discussions and collaborative sessions focused on youth innovation, entrepreneurship, and shaping Africa’s future of work in an AI-driven economy.
Winning the Global Pitch Challenge
A major highlight of the summit was the Global Challenge Pitch Competition, where participants were assigned to interdisciplinary teams to develop innovative solutions addressing critical issues such as mental health, climate change, agriculture, energy, education, and youth unemployment.
The Flood Solution Team, which included Oyebode Olamide Rita, emerged overall winner of the competition with an innovative flood initiative designed to improve disaster preparedness in vulnerable communities. Oyebode served as the Business Lead Designer for the project.
The winning solution is a data-driven flood monitoring and early-warning system that integrates AI prediction models with community-based alert mechanisms to help mitigate flooding risks in urban areas prone to climate-related disasters.
UNILAG also contributed to the second-place winning team in the Energy category. The Energy Solution Team, which included Yomi-Adebisi Praise Oluwaferanmi, developed a modular renewable energy micro-grid designed to serve underserved peri-urban communities through solar-hybrid storage systems and pay-as-you-go technology. Yomi-Adebisi played the role of Digital Lead Designer for the initiative.
Another member of the UNILAG delegation, Okusanya Ayomikun Oreoluwa, contributed to the Agricultural Innovation Team, which developed a modular solar-powered cold storage system aimed at strengthening cold-chain infrastructure and reducing post-harvest losses. His role included conducting the feasibility study, as well as assisting with market and competitive research to establish the solution’s unique value proposition.
Faculty Contribution
The Director of ESDC, Professor Sunday Adebisi, who led the University’s delegation, facilitated a students’ session on Design Thinking. During the session, he guided participants on how to transform complex societal challenges into viable entrepreneurial opportunities.
Impact of the Summit
According to the participants, the summit inspired a significant mindset shift from “employability” to “venture creation.”
By focusing on re-imagining youth innovation and entrepreneurship, and driving policies that can collaboratively shape Africa’s future of work within an AI-driven economy, the programme reinforced the growing recognition that technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship are central to driving economic stability and opportunity across Africa.
