A 19-year-old Nigerian student, Ifeoluwa Afolayan, has won first prize at the 2025 WE Innovate Grand Final in the United Kingdom.
Afolayan, who is currently a Master’s student in Design Engineering at Imperial College London and the Royal College of Arts, won the award with her agricultural solution called Aeropod (by Muju Earth). Aeropod is a climate-proof capsule designed to help soil absorb air and nutrients during heavy rainfall.
The innovation earned Afolayan’s team a cash prize of €15,000, which is about N21.6m. The award was presented by WE Innovate, a flagship pre-accelerator programme for women-led ventures at Imperial College London.
Afolayan teamed up with her colleagues, Yuchen Cai, Alex Clark, and Ocean Hu, to develop the technology. The team aims to empower farmers by making their soil more resilient against climate change and improving agricultural productivity.
“I’m incredibly honoured to be part of WE Innovate and to win first prize. This initiative has the power to revolutionise agriculture in Nigeria, helping farmers adapt to climate change and ensuring food security for future generations.” Afolayan said.
The team’s solution has been recognized for its ability to cut environmental damage and boost food production in regions like Nigeria, where unpredictable weather conditions affect agricultural output.
WE Innovate, a programme of Imperial College London, supports women innovators through masterclasses, mentoring, and business development resources. It aims to help them grow their ventures and solve real-world problems.
Afolayan explained that the prize money and ongoing mentoring will enable her team to collaborate with a Nigerian firm. They plan to introduce climate-proof agricultural techniques and innovative soil management systems to help farmers in the country.
She said, “This award is a testament to the power of innovation and resilience. Our project aims to transform agriculture in Nigeria, making it more sustainable and climate-proof. We believe that with the right support and partnerships, we can create lasting change that benefits farmers and future generations.”
