Bells University of Technology has once again demonstrated its commitment to excellence and innovation by emerging as the overall winner of the University Duel Smart Challenge 2025, organized by theSTEMafrica. The national competition brought together 16 of Nigeria’s top universities to develop cutting-edge solutions addressing some of the country’s most pressing challenges.
Representing the university were three outstanding students—Kafayat Lawal, Iregbeyanose Itua, and Shalom Oso —who formed the winning team behind Fermwise, an innovative agri-tech solution aimed at tackling food insecurity in Nigeria through precision agriculture and smart farming technologies.
After advancing through several rigorous stages of the competition, Bells University of Technology ranked among the top three finalists alongside Veritas University and the University of Lagos (UNILAG). In the final round, teams were tasked with proposing impactful solutions to Nigeria’s food security crisis.
Introducing Fermwise: A Smart Solution to Food Insecurity
Fermwise is a multifaceted agricultural innovation that combines a web-based application with IoT-enabled devices to support Nigerian farmers with real-time insights and advanced management tools. The solution empowers users with:
- AI-powered agricultural consultations and insights
- An analytics dashboard for data-driven decision-making
- Weather forecasting tools to assist in seasonal planning
- Task management features to help track goals and activities
- A farmer networking and collaboration platform
- A digital marketplace for agricultural products and services
- A job board to engage youth in agriculture
- IoT sensors for real-time monitoring of soil and crop health
The team’s solution aligns with the famous words of agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan, who stated, “If agriculture goes wrong, nothing else will have a chance to go right.”
A Victory Rooted in Passion and Teamwork
Winning this prestigious competition was the result of months of preparation, collaboration, and mentorship. The students expressed gratitude to their mentors and supporters, including Adeyigs Johnson, Michael Adenibuyan, Ph.D., Temitope Elizabeth, Dr. Oluwatosin Adebisi, Oyinkansola Olagunju, Stephanie Ibidapo, Moses Achas, ADEKUNLE SANGOTOLA, Tobi Balogun, Enaikele Omoh Kelvin, and Lukman Adeoye.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jeremiah Ojediran, congratulated the team, noting that their performance exemplifies the University’s focus on fostering practical, innovative, and research-driven solutions for national development. “This victory is not only a testament to the brilliance of our students but also to our institutional vision of raising leaders who will make meaningful contributions to society,” he said.
Learn More
To learn more about Fermwise, visit the landing page here: https://lnkd.in/d_g8nTVr
Watch the team’s presentation video here: https://lnkd.in/dDqf4Kmg