By Francesca Hangeior

A team of computer science students from Caleb University has emerged champion at the Bells University of Technology Hackathon Competition, showcasing their newly developed software, Valor — an AI-powered application designed to detect the ripeness of mangoes using advanced machine learning and image processing technology.

Described as “the Smart, Bold, Brainy, Savvy, Mango Master,” Valor impressed judges with its ability to classify mango ripeness with high precision.

According to a statement on Thursday, the app, built on computer vision and deep learning models, addresses challenges in the agricultural sector by helping farmers, suppliers, and consumers determine when mangoes are ripe or spoiled — a problem that often results in food waste and lost value.

The victorious team comprised a final-year Software and Computer Vision Engineer, Harmony Abayomi; a 400-level Data and AI Engineer, Nwachukwu Chibuzor, and, a 400-level Data Analyst, Efod Freda.

The students said their motivation stemmed from the need to reduce wastage and improve accuracy in fruit quality assessment.

“Detecting ripeness and spoilage in mangoes remains a significant challenge. Overripe fruits lead to wastage and loss of value, while under ripe ones fail to meet the expectations of consumers. Traditional methods like visual inspection are subjective and often unreliable,” the team said.

The Acting Vice Chancellor of Caleb University, Prof Sunday Adewale, hosted the winning team and praised their achievement.

“Caleb University has become a colossal hub for innovation and academic excellence,” he said. “The success of Valor is a testament to our commitment to nurturing innovation, academic excellence, and real-world problem-solving.”

Adewale added that the university’s environment promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and hands-on learning, providing students with the necessary tools to excel in today’s tech-driven world.

Head of the Computer Science Department, Dr. Adeniyi Akanni, and Team Coordinator, Mr. Ajala, in a joint statement, described the app as a “sophisticated web and mobile application that leverages advanced machine learning and AI algorithms to analyse images and data.”

They noted that the project marks a significant intersection of technology and agriculture, highlighting how innovations from Caleb University are contributing to global efforts to improve food quality and reduce waste.

By Francesca Hangeior

Out of 1,955,069 candidates who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), over 1.5 million of them scored less than 200 in the exam.

The statistical analysis of 2025 UTME result released by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Monday indicated that only 420,415 candidates scored above 200 in the 2025 edition of the UTME.

While 4756 candidates scored above 320, 7658 candidates scored between 300 and 319.

In the statement accompanying the data, JAMB said “40,247 underage candidates were permitted to demonstrate their exceptional abilities. However, only 467 of these candidates (1.16%) achieved scores that meet the threshold for exceptional ability as defined for the UTME, with their performance in the subsequent three stages still pending.”

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has announced the disbursement of the 2024 scholarship to 164 indigent students selected from branches of the union across the country.

This was revealed by the Convener of ASUU Grant, Research and Publications Committee, Professor Christopher Piwuna on Saturday during a press conference at the Sa’adu Zungur University, Yuli Campus, Bauchi State.

Piwuna explained that of the 79 ASUU branches, two successful applicants were selected in every university through a rigorous screening process.

He said each recipient of the scholarship went home with a non-refundable cash-backing of N200,000.

The Convener, who was represented by the former Coordinator ASUU Bauchi-Zone, Lawan Abubakar, said gender balance was reflected in the selection of the beneficiaries.

He disclosed that physically challenged beneficiaries were selected to support them to access tertiary education.

“Over the last two years, ASUU spent about N164, 800,000 on scholarships for indigent students in universities across the country.

“Our Union has been managing the Gani Fawehinmi scholarship for years, we decided to not only organise that of Chief Gani but institute our own.

“This creation was also shaped by the government’s unrelenting attacks on students and their parents through ‘school charges.’

“When we argued that NELFUND scholarship should be a grant, we meant it because we are not asking any parent or beneficiary of our indigent support to repay at a later day,” Piwuna said

Akelicious gathered that to qualify for this scholarship, interested applicants need to prove their indigent economic status and an excellent Cumulative Grade Average Point to the union.