About 750 secondary students have been equipped with critical 21st-century skills in artificial intelligence, machine learning, design thinking, problem-solving, and creativity.

The training, which was organized by Project iCommunity in collaboration with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), was established in 2023.

The students across 15 schools in Lagos, Delta and Ondo States, participated in a rigorous five-week programme, with 50 students per school engaging in hands-on training and real-world problem-solving challenges.

For the schools in Lagos, Badore Community High School, won first position, earning a N1 million cash prize and Attend AI – a smart classroom attendance system using facial recognition.

Similarly, Ilasan Senior Secondary School won the Smart Pajec classroom attendance system using AI while Gbara Community Senior Secondary School went home with Edubot: Virtual assistant using AI for students’ assignments secured second and third places respectively.

In Ondo State, St. Joseph’s College took first place with its Student ID Authentication System, while Ilaje High School Igbokoda (Ilaje high school voice chatbot virtual assistant) and Stella Maris College Okitipupa (School interactive chatbot with advanced features) tied for 2nd place.

In 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, also shared his experience saying, “I never imagined enjoying AI until this programme. 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.”

Co-founder of 9ijakids and Project iCommunity Organiser, Titi Adewusi said: “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.”

The organisers noted that Project iCommunity 2025 underscores the transformative power of public-private partnerships in education.

It added that 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.

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.