In a remarkable display of creativity and problem-solving, students from Adiaha Obong Secondary Comprehensive School have emerged champions of the Ibom Innovation Challenge, earning multiple awards for their pioneering “Remote Fish Farming Monitoring System.”
The student team, known as “Adisco Great Tech Innovators,” was honoured by the Ibom Innovation Network — organisers of the Akwa Ibom Tech Week which visited the school to celebrate their success. Led by engineer Hanson Johnson, president of the network, the organisers presented the students with a N250,000 cash prize to support the further development and incubation of their innovation.
Johnson, speaking during the visit, stressed the need to shift the focus of youth development towards solving real-world problems. “The question for the youth is no longer ‘What do you want to become?’ but ‘What problem do you want to solve?’” he said, urging young people to use technology as a tool for addressing challenges in their communities.
The winning project tackles key issues in aquaculture by enabling fish farmers to remotely monitor their operations, enhancing efficiency and productivity in the sector. The team’s innovative solution and its practical application impressed both the judges and organisers, positioning them as rising stars in the local tech ecosystem.
Team leader Mfoniso Patrick expressed gratitude for the recognition, describing the experience as a spark that ignited a deeper interest in technology. The school’s principal, Theresa Paulinus, and teacher Effiom Ekpo also celebrated the students’ success, calling it proof of the school’s dedication to nurturing young talent.
The victory not only highlights the potential of Akwa Ibom’s youth but also underscores how locally developed innovations can have global relevance. The Ibom Innovation Network encouraged more students to participate in future challenges, reinforcing its mission to cultivate a new generation of problem solvers and innovators across the state.
For MSMEs and local agribusinesses, such youth-led innovations could transform traditional practices, improve productivity, and open new opportunities in sectors like aquaculture , showing how technology-driven ideas can fuel inclusive growth and economic resilience.
