By Mandy Willy
Two 10-year-old innovators from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, have made Nigeria and Africa proud by clinching the Grand Prize at the 2025 Technovation Global Summit (Beginner Division) with their revolutionary mobile app, “StayWoke”.
The girls, Akachukwu Blessed Nwachukwu and Ifunanya Gabriella Okoye, developed StayWoke an AI-powered application designed to combat drowsy and distracted driving. The app integrates facial recognition and voice interaction technology to monitor drivers in real time, sending timely alerts to help prevent accidents.
Praised for its affordability and potential to save millions of lives, StayWoke stood out among over 3,200 technology solutions submitted by more than 33,000 girls from 117 countries. Representing Nigeria and Africa as Team Appsolute, the Port Harcourt duo outperformed finalist teams from Japan, Spain, Canada, and Peru to emerge overall winners.
“This victory proves that innovation knows no age or boundary,” said Somkenechukwu Mamah, their mentor and founder of Code Ambassadors Academy. “Akachukwu and Ifunanya have shown the world that young Africans can lead in shaping the future of technology.”
The young coders were trained at the Code Ambassadors Academy, a STEM.org-accredited initiative in Nigeria that has empowered over 7,000 children with skills in coding, robotics, AI, and design. Supported by their parents and guided through a four-month mentorship program, the girls transformed their idea into a globally celebrated solution.
For Team Appsolute, the achievement is more than just a trophy. It symbolizes the power of courage, creativity, and determination proving that even at the age of 10, girls can change the world through innovation.
